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Phuket – Phuket authorities are pressing forward with a sweeping campaign against unlawful land holdings by foreign investors, sending 39 cases to police investigators and examining an additional 317 suspected violations. Governor Chotnarin Kedsom, chairing the second provincial police committee meeting of 2026, confirmed that the province is enforcing the Interior Ministry’s urgent directive to […] Phuket Files 39 Foreign Land Cases, Probes 317 More -=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=- The Phuket Express - Real. Unbiased. Impactful. In the moment.

A controversy has emerged surrounding the death of a 5-day-old infant in the pediatric ICU at Ang Thong Hospital, with a key turning point being the parents' decision not to cremate their child after a nurse called them repeatedly every 5 to 10 minutes asking if they had done so. Police are now preparing to question the nurse involved.

On July 24, 2026, foundation chair Paveena Hongsukul accompanied the grieving parents—a 40-year-old father and 36-year-old mother who had lost their newborn five days after birth—to meet with Deputy Commander Phakaphumi Phoolsiripoke, Deputy Commander Mongkol Onkaew, Deputy Commander Singlampong Pothsuea, and Police Captain Kantaphan Thanadhippinskul to follow up on the case and request CCTV footage from around the pediatric ICU.

Deputy Commander Phakaphumi revealed that investigators from Muang Ang Thong and Samko police stations reviewed surrounding CCTV footage and found images of people entering and leaving the area, including footage of the child's parents during the relevant time period. However, the hospital's legal team stated that such footage could only be released to investigators, as sharing it with other parties might violate Thailand's Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA).

Regarding the parents' claim of receiving inconsistent information about the cause of death, police advised them to file a formal complaint at Samko Police Station to proceed through legal channels.

The child's mother stated that after her infant died, a nurse repeatedly called every 5 to 10 minutes asking whether they had cremated the child, which aroused her suspicion and prompted them to postpone the cremation and file a complaint with the foundation.

Deputy Commander Phakaphumi acknowledged this as a discrepancy and said the nurse in question will be called in for questioning. However, while the parents insist there was CCTV inside the pediatric ICU room, police inspection found no camera installation there. To clarify the facts, investigators accompanied the parents to point out where they claimed cameras had been installed, as physical traces or leftover equipment would likely remain if they had ever been mounted.

Free admission allows visitors to view diverse exotic animal species at the G.E.B.I.- The Grand Exotic Pet exhibition, open only until Sunday, July 26. Siam Paragon, in collaboration with the National Alternative Thai Agriculturist Trade Association (NATA), is hosting the G.E.B.I.- The Grand Exotic Pet & Ball Python International 2026—an international exotic pet festival running through July 26, 2026 at NEX Hall, 5th Floor, Siam Paragon. The event aims to advance learning and knowledge exchange about exotic animals while promoting responsible pet ownership, proper animal health care, and biodiversity conservation through the participation of experts, breeders, and enthusiasts from both Thailand and overseas under the concept of "Living Art."

Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives Surawut Nueang Chamlong served as chairman of the opening ceremony, alongside State Veterinarian Somchuan Rattanmangklanon, Director-General of the Department of Livestock. They toured exhibits and activities featuring knowledge about exotic animals from specialists, along with displays of diverse exotic species including ferrets, capuchin monkeys, ball python snakes, Oriental Shorthair cats, balloon molly fish, meerkats, and beautiful animals from many countries. Visitors can also meet networks of breeders and experts from Thailand and abroad who share experiences and exchange knowledge about exotic pet ownership, as well as comprehensive products, food, and equipment.

The event includes highlight activities such as the Asia-level Ball Python Championship competition, panel discussions, and opportunities to meet and talk with breeders and experts from various countries. A special service for animal lovers is free pet health screening by a team of veterinarians from Khlong Luang Animal Hospital to promote proper pet health care. The event also features family-friendly activities that give children, youth, and interested parties the chance to learn about and interact creatively with exotic animals through hands-on experience.

G.E.B.I. 2026 marks an important milestone for Thailand's exotic animal industry, positioning the event as an international-level platform for learning and networking among experts, breeders, and animal lovers from many countries. The goal is to collectively promote responsible exotic pet ownership standards and foster understanding of conservation, biodiversity, and sustainable development approaches for the exotic pet industry. Experience this international-level gathering combining knowledge, nature's wonders, and insights from diverse experts at G.E.B.I.- The Grand Exotic Pet & Ball Python International 2026, running through July 26, 2026 at NEX Hall, 5th Floor, Siam Paragon. Admission is free. For more details, visit https://www.siamparagon.co.th and follow SiamParagon on social media or Facebook: GEBI.

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.

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.

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.