Over the past 80 years, only 3 countries have hosted the International Monetary Fund - World Bank Group Annual Meetings twice—and Thailand is proud to be one of them! This year, Thailand returns as...
Over the past 80 years, only 3 countries have hosted the International Monetary Fund - World Bank Group Annual Meetings twice—and Thailand is proud to be one of them! This year, Thailand returns as...
A Buriram restaurant distributed 1,000 free bowls of noodles to low-income families and elderly residents for its fourth anniversary, completing the giveaway in just two hours.
On July 24, Puun Suk Dim Sum restaurant, located near Wat Isan in downtown Buriram, marked its fourth anniversary by preparing and distributing over 1,000 portions of traditional stir-fried noodles to the public, with priority given to low-income households and elderly people who do not qualify for state welfare or poverty cards. The initiative was designed to help ease the cost of living and offer encouragement to community members facing financial hardship.
The restaurant used approximately 70 kilograms of noodles, 50 kilograms of fresh pork, and 20 kilograms of preserved pork for the event. Portions were packaged and distributed freely without limit, allowing people to take meals home to their families. The restaurant also provided complimentary beverages including sugarcane juice, hibiscus tea, longan drink, and herbal beverages.
As distribution began, residents from various occupations lined up to receive the noodles and drinks in a warm, festive atmosphere. Within approximately two hours, all 1,000 portions of noodles and over 200 glasses of beverages had been distributed.
Nangsin Mietbamrung, 64, one of the recipients, shared that her household struggles financially as she cares for a disabled husband, a son with partial paralysis, a daughter recovering from surgery, a son-in-law, and three grandchildren. Only two family members receive state welfare benefits. She expressed deep gratitude for the restaurant owner's generosity, noting that even a single meal helps reduce expenses and can be shared with family members at home, alleviating the family's financial burden.
Dhanthat Loilom, owner of Puun Suk Dim Sum, explained that the restaurant normally serves breakfast items including dim sum, rice soup, noodles, fried eggs, and pork leg soup, open Tuesday through Sunday and closed Mondays. For the fourth-anniversary celebration, he decided to prepare and distribute traditional stir-fried noodles, a family favorite recipe, to approximately 1,000 people along with free beverages. He noted that regular customers also volunteered to help with preparation and distribution, and expressed his intention to continue these community-sharing activities on future occasions to spread happiness throughout society.
PM Anutin said there's nothing to celebrate on the first anniversary of last year's Thai-Cambodian border conflict, assuring the public that security has normalized and China's military sales to Cambodia pose no threat to Thailand.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said Friday (24 July) there was "nothing to celebrate" on the first anniversary of the Thai-Cambodian border conflict, while assuring the public that the security situation has returned to normal.
Speaking at Government House, Anutin said Thailand remains committed to protecting its sovereignty but stressed there was no reason for public concern over the current situation.
He said he had received assurances from Chinese Defence Minister Admiral Dong Jun during their meeting earlier in the day that Chinese military equipment supplied to Cambodia was part of normal commercial sales and was not intended for use against Thailand.
Anutin said the message was consistent with assurances previously given by Chinese President Xi Jinping during his official visit to Beijing last week.
"There is nothing for the Thai people to worry about," he said, adding that people should continue living and doing business as normal because Thailand was not facing any immediate security threat despite past tensions with its neighbour.
On the prospect of restoring ties with Cambodia, Anutin said future negotiations and the rebuilding of bilateral relations would proceed in accordance with existing agreements, adding that Thailand was not currently suffering any disadvantages from the situation.
Thai Customs seized 529 pieces of LSD disguised as cartoon-patterned stickers from a shipment originating from Germany, warning that the drug is designed to target youth by appearing as innocent collectibles.
The Thai Customs Department has warned the public about a new form of synthetic drug called "LSD cartoon stamps," which is disguised as cartoon-patterned stickers to evade detection and mislead observers. Ponthong Loikul, director-general of the Customs Department, revealed that officers at the Bangkok Customs Office seized LSD (Lysergic Acid Diethylamide), also known as "cartoon stamps," originating from Germany and attempted to be smuggled into the kingdom. A total of 529 pieces valued at over 200,000 baht were confiscated.
LSD is classified as a potent hallucinogenic synthetic drug typically applied as liquid drops onto water-absorbent paper printed with bright cartoon designs or cute symbols, divided into small square sections resembling stamps. The appearance is designed to evade official scrutiny and look like ordinary candy or collectible toys. When consumed continuously, LSD produces severe neurological effects, causing users to experience hallucinations, distorted perceptions, emotional instability, aggression, and severe paranoia, with risks of accidents, self-harm, or death.
The Customs director-general expressed concern that the most troubling aspect is how the drug has been designed to appear safe and accessible to youth. He urged parents to closely supervise their children and prevent them from becoming victims of deception by cartoon-patterned items from unreliable sources. Authorities also emphasized that "cartoon stamps" are not toys or candy but dangerous drugs that can permanently damage the brain, perception, and future of users.
A foreign resident in Chonburi dumped trash at his neighbor's gate, then his son verbally assaulted and attempted to physically attack a Thai housekeeper when she tried to dispose of it, with the incident caught on security camera.
On July 24, 2569, Ms. A (pseudonym), a 39-year-old housekeeper from Lop Buri province, who works for a foreign employer in a residential community in Nong Prue subdistrict, Bang Lamung district, Chonburi province, was confronted and attacked by a foreign neighbor living across the street. The neighbor, along with his son, attempted to assault her while hurling degrading remarks about her being a foreigner and spitting on the ground near her. Security camera footage clearly captured the incident, which occurred on the afternoon of July 20, 2569.
Ms. A explained that on the day of the incident, she and her daughter arrived at her employer's house for their regular twice-weekly cleaning. Upon entering on a motorcycle, she noticed a black garbage bag left at the front gate. Puzzled, she called her employer to check the security camera footage and discovered that an elderly foreign neighbor across the street had placed it there at approximately 1:15 p.m. on July 20, 2569.
After completing the cleaning work, she asked her daughter to wait at the gate while she went to dispose of the garbage bag, intending to do the neighbor a favor. As she was dragging the bag, the elderly foreign neighbor approached and asked if it was his garbage. He admitted it was and added defiantly, "It's my garbage, I can dump it wherever I want," before returning to his house.
Shortly after, the elderly man's son, who speaks Thai fluently, came out and confronted Ms. A, asking what she had said to his father. When she explained the situation, the son became visibly angry and declared, "Do you know who my father is? My father was a special forces soldier." He then launched into a tirade, saying, "You foreigners are just here stealing Thai people's jobs." He spat on the ground inches away from her, kicked the garbage bag, and attempted to physically assault her. After a heated argument lasting several minutes, they separated.
Ms. A then filed a police report with Pattaya City Police, providing the security camera footage as evidence of both the father's and son's behavior. The investigator advised her to call the police if she encountered them again. On one occasion, she spotted both of them at home and contacted the police, but it appeared the officers could not take any legal action. Fearing for her safety on her twice-weekly cleaning visits and frustrated by the lack of justice, Ms. A decided to contact the media in hopes of receiving fair treatment. When reporters visited the scene, the neighbor's house across the street remained silent, with no one coming out to comment.
Thailand's government has approved a major electricity restructuring plan targeting a 3-baht-per-unit rate for residential users' first 200 units of consumption, benefiting over 23 million households nationwide by funding the reduction thro
High electricity costs have become one of the public's most pressing complaints, affecting low-income families, small businesses, and industries facing continuous rises in energy expenses. The critical question many Thais want answered is whether a 3-baht-per-unit electricity rate is achievable. That question has received a partial answer following the National Energy Policy Committee's approval of one of the country's largest-ever electricity restructuring measures under Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul's leadership. Energy Minister Eknath Prom-phund announced a clear goal to reduce electricity costs for the public sustainably, not merely through temporary price suppression tied to automatic fuel adjustment cycles.
The core of this measure is reducing electricity rates for residential users during the first 200 units of consumption to no more than 3 baht per unit, funded through electricity development funds, clawback revenue from excess benefit recovery, and management of accumulated costs held by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, which absorbed 31,268 million baht in fuel costs on behalf of the public during the recent energy crisis.
Who benefits? Residents paying lower electricity bills immediately—covering over 23 million households nationwide, including rental homes, dormitories, and apartments that previously paid higher rates. These consumers will see direct cost-of-living reductions, increased purchasing power, small and medium enterprises will face lower utility costs, and green industries can access clean electricity more affordably, strengthening ESG competitiveness.
Who pays? With current average electricity at roughly 3.95 baht per unit dropping to 3 baht, the government chose to "shift cost burdens" and "improve system efficiency" rather than subsidize directly from the national budget. A major cost being removed from consumer bills is public electricity, such as streetlights and public lighting worth over 18,000 million baht annually—costs previously bundled into all users' base rates but now to be separated and covered by new financial mechanisms. In effect, the public will no longer bear public electricity costs in their traditional form, with the three electricity authorities managing the transition.
Energy Minister Eknath confirmed the approach will not defer debt or use massive permanent subsidies but instead generate revenue through electricity restructuring. Key funding sources include: (1) Reducing costs from expensive power purchase agreements by renegotiating contracts with private producers, especially renewable energy projects receiving special adders. Some contracts currently pay 6-10 baht per unit while actual solar production costs around 2.16 baht per unit; rates should be adjusted to 2.1579 baht per unit reflecting true costs. (2) Regulating data centers, which will become a critical revenue source for the electricity system due to their massive 24-hour power consumption. The entry of global cloud, AI, and digital data center operators makes organizing this sector essential for Thailand's future.
Bangkok's transit authority successfully raised 4.5 billion baht through its first green bond, oversubscribed 1.65 times by investors, with proceeds funding 1,520 electric buses to reduce emissions and air pollution.
The Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) announced on July 24, 2025 that its first sustainability bond issuance has been a major success. BMTA Director Kittikaan Jomdung Charuworppalkul revealed that institutional investors, fund managers, banks, insurance companies, and foundations have overwhelmingly subscribed to the 4.5 billion baht bond offering—with total applications reaching 1.65 times the available amount. The bonds carry a 6-year maturity and 1.74% annual coupon rate, with principal and interest guaranteed by the Ministry of Finance. Kasikornbank and Bangkok Bank have been appointed as lead managers.
The bond issuance marks a historic milestone for the BMTA in its journey toward sustainability. The primary objective is to refinance the BMTA's debt structure for fiscal year 2025 while supporting the procurement of 1,520 electric buses to replace aging vehicles. The bus acquisition has been established as a key performance indicator (KPI) for the bond, reflecting the BMTA's commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and addressing air pollution, particularly PM 2.5 levels.
The success of this funding mechanism is expected to encourage other state enterprises to adopt similar financial tools for sustainable development. By participating in the bond offering, institutional and major investors have become partners in delivering cleaner air to future generations and advancing Thailand's public transportation system toward a sustainable future.
Thailand's Parliament Speaker urged the nation to break free of political conflict and build "democracy that works" during a youth civic engagement event, emphasizing that losers must accept electoral defeats to move forward.
On July 24, 2026, Sophon Saranrom, President of Parliament and Speaker of the House of Representatives, presided over the opening of a program promoting and supporting youth civic participation in democratic systems to develop sustainable democracy. The event included the 2026 youth civic engagement activity and a special lecture titled "Youth Power and Democratic Development in a New Era."
Sophon stated that today's youth are tomorrow's leaders, and he is entrusting the nation to this new generation of 25-year-old democratic youth activists, hoping they will become a driving force for the country. He explained that democracy is government of, by, and for the people, but Thailand upholds a democracy with the King as head of state. This provision is necessary because without a nation, sovereignty, and territory, Thai citizens would have no country to call home. A meaningful life must be rooted in virtue, just as good leaders must be moral and ethical. The challenge lies in preserving the nation amid global conflict and ideological division, which has become a trap for society. Democracy must have boundaries; regardless of the system of governance, the goal is to preserve the nation and ensure citizens live happily.
"I want to see democracy deliver tangible happiness to people—what we call democracy that works," Sophon said. "It must be proven through action, not just words. Differing opinions are normal, but they must be debated in parliament. Good democracy is not just majority rule; it must use reason to persuade those who disagree to see eye-to-eye without voting. That is true democracy. But if persuasion fails, we vote and must accept the result. However, our nation remains stuck here—losers refuse to accept defeats, keeping us trapped in conflict."
Sophon stressed that democracy must be grounded in correctness. He noted that Thailand once possessed compassion, generosity, and mutual understanding, but these qualities are fading. He urged the nation to preserve these virtues and called for respect for human dignity, warning against class divisions.
Natthsakdi Sarika, a 2023 Democratic Youth Representative from Phichit Province, then presented legislative proposals to strengthen civic awareness among democratic youth. He highlighted the drug crisis as a structural problem affecting multiple dimensions of society, from family breakdown to economic losses and loss of life. He called for continued efforts to address drug addiction in Thailand.
The Parliament Speaker affirmed his long-standing commitment to tackling drug issues and pledged to continue these efforts. Certificates were awarded to exemplary Democratic Youth representatives in three categories: promoting democracy and public participation, social and community work, and democratic leadership. The program, marking 25 years of youth civic engagement activities, brought together 400 Democratic Youth participants from all four regions of Thailand to share experiences and build cooperative networks.
Officials are inspecting religious goods shops ahead of Buddhist Lent on July 29–30 to prevent price gouging on items like alms sets and ceremonial candles. Initial checks in Bangkok show retail prices remain stable despite rising productio
Jirawut Suvannaaj, deputy director-general of the Internal Trade Department, announced that with Asahna Bucha and the start of Buddhist Lent approaching on July 29–30, 2026, authorities are stepping up inspections to prevent price gouging on popular religious items including monastic alms sets, traditional Thai robes, and lent candles that devotees offer to monks.
Inspections conducted in Bangkok found that retail prices for these items remained stable compared to the same period last year, with no unjustified increases despite rising production costs. Some merchants have opted to change brands or adjust product quantities and sizes rather than raise prices. Current prices for alms sets range from 40 to 4,500 baht per set depending on contents, plain lent candles from 70 to 2,500 baht per pair, and carved candles from 130 to 3,900 baht per pair.
Sellers reported lower sales this year due to economic conditions, with consumers choosing smaller sets or purchasing items separately, and some opting for temple-prepared sets or electric lights instead of candles. Suvannaaj emphasized that merchants must display clear price tags listing each item's specifications, quantity, unit price, and packaging costs in font sizes of at least 16 points. He urged the public to contact the Internal Trade Department hotline 1569 with any complaints about unfair pricing.
The King has promoted Phra Prom Vachirmonkol to the rank of Somdet Phra Yana Vachirmonkol, honoring the 96-year-old Buddhist abbot of Bangkok's Rajathiwas Temple after 76 years in the monastic order.
On July 14, the Royal Gazette website published a royal decree establishing ecclesiastical rank, announcing that His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn has graciously promoted Phra Prom Vachirmonkol to the rank of Somdet Phra Rajakanatham with the royal title Somdet Phra Yana Vachirmonkol, bearing numerous honors inscribed in the records and stationed at Rajathiwas Temple Royal Monastery in Bangkok, with ten ecclesiastical ranks recognized. The proclamation took effect from July 12, 2026, and was announced on July 14, 2026.
Somdet Phra Yana Vachirmonkol (formerly Luechai Khunvuthotto), now 96 years old with 76 years in the sangha, currently serves as abbot of Rajathiwas Temple in Vichiraphyabal Ward, Dusit District, Bangkok. Born on July 7, 1930, in Songkhla Province to parents Wan and Yok Saiyanvannano, he was ordained on July 5, 1950, at Wat Huay Phud in Songkhla Province under Phra Kru Sophon Silajarn and Phra Kru Chantavimol.
He devoted himself to Dhamma study and passed the highest level examination in 1952 at Wat Matchimawat in Songkhla. In 1956, he engaged in meditation practice at Wat Phutthi Karam in Songkhla under Luang Phu Mahapi Chalito, eventually studying Pali at Rajathiwas Temple in Bangkok as advised by his preceptor. During his residence at Rajathiwas, he participated in meditation practice and later became responsible for education, teaching both Dharma and Pali.
In 1987, he became head teacher of Rajathiwas School; in 1993, assistant to the Central Dharma Council Director. He has also led Dharma examinations and opened testing at Wat Nikrodharama in Malaysia. From 2000 onward, he served as director of the Rajathiwas School and board member of the Mahakut Buddhist University Foundation. His ecclesiastical promotions occurred in 1972, 1987, 1994, 2000, and 2021, rising progressively through ranks. He has long served as abbot of Rajathiwas Temple since 2000 and actively promotes Buddhism through sermons and lectures across temples, government offices, private institutions, schools, and radio stations.
A B8 million road median project on Phuket's Chao Fa West Road is finally nearing completion after nine months of delays, with the remaining 200 metres expected finished by August 10.
PHUKET: More than nine months after the B8 million road median project on Chao Fa West Rd was due to be completed, Phuket Highways Office Chief Winai Kuemueang has again failed to provide a clear explanation for the prolonged delays, saying only that the remaining 200 metres of the central divider is now expected to be finished by Aug 10.