On July 17, Sirikanya Tansakul, Pheu Thai list MP and deputy party leader, criticized the government's welfare card approval announcement, saying many legitimately poor people have been disqualified. She noted the Finance Ministry deliberately planned this year's reregistration to reduce beneficiaries, evident from the budget cut to 42 billion baht compared to the usual 50 billion baht allocation. This means the government intended to reduce eligible recipients to 9-10 million people by tightening criteria significantly. However, this approach risks excluding genuinely poor and suffering citizens.

On announcement day, Sirikanya reported cases where truly poor people failed qualification due to data errors—such as vehicles they don't own but registered under their names, or land recorded as exceeding the 10-rai limit because children's names were added. "The big question is whether the government's effort to filter people has ended up filtering out the truly poor instead," she said. She noted that banks are now overwhelmed with appeals, yet the Finance Ministry provides outdated contact information and other agencies like the Department of Land Transport are unreachable, reflecting poor coordination.

Sirikanya stated the Finance Ministry's Office of the Permanent Secretary appears unprepared with appeals mechanisms and hasn't coordinated with other agencies to handle today's appeals. "This has created total confusion. The government must urgently fix this to truly help the poor, rather than excluding them because the screening net is too fine and strict," she said. When asked if budget constraints drove the tighter criteria, she confirmed budget limitations played a role, noting fiscal year 2569 began with only 30 billion baht—cutting existing cardholders in half. Though 2570 increased to 42 billion baht, Sirikanya observed the government uses rigid criteria requiring applicants to meet all qualifications, despite hardship varying in severity and degree. A low-income person with land exceeding 10 rai may have unproductive property already reflected in low income, yet still loses eligibility.

At 1:00 a.m. on July 17, 2026, officers from Samran Rat Police Station, led by Lieutenant Colonel Chaiyakrit Pothoa and commanded by Prasathai Wiratthayaphorn, arrested 21-year-old Chirayuth along with one homemade firearm in front of the station.

Traffic police on patrol noticed a motorcycle displaying suspicious behavior—riding against traffic and the rider was not carrying a valid driver's license. They asked Chirayuth to come to the station for questioning.

When he arrived at Samran Rat Police Station, Chirayuth showed signs of agitation. Since only one traffic officer was present, officers called in the arrest team to assist with a safe search.

During the search, police discovered one homemade gun inside a red shoulder bag the suspect was carrying. When questioned, Chirayuth admitted the weapon was his.

Officers informed him of the charges and his rights, recorded the arrest, and handed him over to investigators for further proceedings. Chirayuth confessed to all charges during questioning. He was formally charged with an arrest record and the weapon was submitted as evidence for ongoing prosecution.

Bangkok Expressway and Metro Public Company Limited (BEM) and the Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) have announced the relocation of two toll lanes and the opening of two additional Easy Pass channels to improve traffic efficiency and convenience for expressway users. The changes will take effect from July 2026 onwards.

On the Chaeng Watthana Expressway at the Rama VII Bridge toll plaza, Easy Pass lane 7 (relocated from lane 4) will open on July 20, 2026, and lane 8 (relocated from lane 5) will open on July 24, 2026.

Users can obtain further information by calling the Chaeng Watthana Expressway Control Center at 02-555-0255, the Udon Expressway Control Center at 02-567-5680, or the EXAT Call Center at 1543. Updates are also available on BEM Bangkok Expressway and Metro's Facebook and X accounts.

Jasmine International Public Company Limited (JAS), which holds broadcast rights for FIFA World Cup 2026 in Thailand, has joined forces with Bang Sue Police Station and Bangkok's Green Area Management Division to conduct a readiness inspection of the venue and security measures for the "FIFA WORLD CUP 2026 ONE NIGHT ONE CHAMPION" event scheduled for Sunday, July 19, 2026. The public will be admitted from 11:30 PM (Gate 3) at Vachirabenjatas Park (Railway Park) to watch and cheer for the World Cup final.

The inspection team included Colonel Sanong Saengmanee, commander of Bang Sue Police Station; Lieutenant Colonel Manoon Koumeuang, deputy commander; Benjawan Fagcrajung, head of Green Area Management 1; and Nawarat Poolmak, deputy director of sustainability at JAS. The readiness check aimed to integrate cooperation among all sectors in areas including crowd management, security, traffic control, emergency preparedness, and facility operations to ensure a smooth and safe event.

The "FIFA WORLD CUP 2026 ONE NIGHT ONE CHAMPION" event will run from 11:30 PM on Sunday, July 19, 2026, through the early morning hours of Monday, July 20, 2026, with kickoff at 2:00 AM at Vachirabenjatas Park. Admission is free.

On July 17, 2025, Deputy National Police Commander Pol. Gen. Samran Nualmaa announced results of a crackdown on foreign nationals using Thai nominees to control businesses and land in Chachoengsao province. The operation involved cooperation between the provincial administration, police, Department of Business Development, Department of Lands, and other agencies, resulting in swift and efficient action.

Chachoengsao has 76,343 registered juristic entities, of which 28,463 have foreign shareholders—a normal investment pattern. However, screening identified 14,264 suspicious companies. After analysis, 435 companies raised initial concerns, and 33 companies with clear evidence were selected for prosecution in the first phase. The operation resulted in 41 search warrants and 4 arrest warrants.

Prosecution cases were divided into two groups: Group One involved 19 companies and 19 cases using nominees to operate businesses, with 16 land plots totaling over 500 rai seized. Group Two involved 14 companies and 14 cases of illegal land holding, with 16 land plots covering approximately 4 rai and 3 ngan, resulting in 45 summons (33 for foreigners, 12 for Thai nationals) and 14 search warrants.

The operation identified combined damages exceeding 235.2 million baht and 54 suspects of various nationalities. Major networks targeted included the "Blazhevichus" family network, operating through 12 companies and controlling 11 houses, and a network involving Igor with connections to 19 companies and 18 residences.

Deputy National Police Commander Samran emphasized that Thailand welcomes tourists and foreign investment, which benefits the economy. However, all investments must comply with Thai law. Companies must have Thai shareholders holding 51 percent and genuine foreign partners holding 49 percent who actively participate in operations—not nominee arrangements designed to circumvent the law. He cited examples of suspects like Igor who admitted not knowing the Thai shareholders listed as partners, confirming the use of nominee schemes. Thailand cannot tolerate communities being advertised as foreign-owned or managed separately by foreign groups, as all must operate under the same legal framework.

The Department of Land Transport has advanced vehicle safety standards by mandating that all dump trucks, including towed and semi-trailer vehicles with hydraulic lifting beds, install dump bed lift warning systems. These systems consist of audible alerts and visual signals (red or amber lights) visible to the driver in the cabin, alerting them when the cargo bed is raised. The measure is designed to prevent driver errors such as forgetting to lower the dump bed fully or forgetting to disengage the power take-off (PTO) system before driving.

Spokesperson Thitiphat Thaijongrakchai, Director of the Automotive Engineering Division, explained that the regulation stems from serious accidents caused by raised dump beds during operation, resulting in loss of life and property damage. The new requirements apply to newly registered vehicles beginning October 1, 2026, while previously registered vehicles must comply by April 1, 2027, with full implementation across all dump trucks by January 1, 2028. The Department of Land Transport has urged all transport operators to strictly adhere to these deadlines to ensure sustainable road safety for all users.