On July 22, Thanawat, 24, a motorcycle delivery rider, filed a report at Saen Suk Police Station in Chon Buri with more than 20 friends after being assaulted and injured. Thanawat explained that he was returning from completing a delivery and singing while riding normally when his voice crossed paths with a pickup truck. The driver mistakenly thought Thanawat was cursing at him, so he chased the rider attempting to harm him. Thanawat fled and stopped at a shop, but two men got out of the pickup and chased him down, kicking over his motorcycle and damaging it.

Waleelak, 43, a shop employee, witnessed the incident and said she saw the rider's motorcycle arrive, followed shortly by the pickup truck moving at high speed. Two men jumped out and attacked the rider, then kicked over the motorcycle until it fell. She shouted to stop them and urged both parties to calm down before they separated.

Later, Thaworn, 50, the pickup truck driver, came to Saen Suk Police Station, apologized, and agreed to compensate for the damage. He explained that he was driving in the alley when he heard what he thought was the rider cursing at him, so he thought the rider was insulting him. In anger and frustration, he chased the rider intending to confront him, but his anger led him to kick over the motorcycle. Initial talks and apologies were exchanged, with compensation agreed upon. The driver acknowledged his hot temper and regrettable actions.

SCGP announced strong second-quarter 2025 results, with net profit surging 128 percent on the back of recovering packaging demand across ASEAN. CEO Wicharn Jitphakdi of SCG Packaging Public Company Limited attributed the rebound to improved consumer spending and exports in multiple ASEAN countries, notably Vietnam and Indonesia, combined with inventory buildups to hedge supply uncertainty and government economic stimulus programs across the region. Packaging demand for consumer goods and food products rose steadily as a result.

The company's Indonesian operations returned to profitability through higher domestic sales, efficient cost management, and energy structure optimization, while Vietnam continued to benefit from expanding domestic economic activity and consumption. Second-quarter revenue reached 32.454 billion baht, up 3 percent year-on-year and 11 percent quarter-on-quarter. EBITDA climbed 37 percent to 5.821 billion baht, and net profit hit 2.304 billion baht, up 128 percent from the same quarter last year and 47 percent from the first quarter.

The board approved an interim dividend of 0.40 baht per share, totaling 1.717 billion baht, with an ex-dividend date of August 4, 2025, and payment on August 19, 2025. The company expects continued packaging demand growth in the third quarter, supported by production for inventory builds extending from late Q3 into Q4 to meet export and domestic consumption needs in Vietnam, Indonesia, and Thailand. Energy cost and oil-price volatility are expected to ease, though the company will closely monitor international geopolitical tensions that could affect supply chains and operating costs.

SCGP is also advancing its ASEAN packaging expansion strategy, planning to invest 748 million baht to add 26,800 tons of annual corrugated box capacity in southern Vietnam to support long-term demand growth. The company is also boosting operational efficiency through AI technology, machine learning systems, and smart robotics in production to strengthen competitiveness and drive sustainable future growth.

PHUKET: Phuket Governor Chotinrin Kerdsum has called for broad public and private sector participation in shaping a five-year development plan for Thailand’s Andaman coastal provinces, with the aim of establishing the region as a ‘Blue Economy Hub’.

Phetchaburi Rajabhat University (PBRU) is expanding higher education capacity by opening Pre-TCAS admissions for the 2024 academic year, aiming to give Grade 12 students a pathway into technology and future industries through collaboration with top Chinese educational institutions.

University leadership traveled to Liuzhou, a major EV manufacturing hub in China, to establish partnerships with Liuzhou Polytechnic University (LZPU) and Liuzhou City Vocational College (LCVC)—institutions with advanced expertise in EV technology, artificial intelligence, robotics, and smart manufacturing. The collaboration centers on a distinctive 2+1.5+0.5 curriculum model: students spend 2 years at PBRU, then 1.5 years studying in China, followed by 6 months of hands-on internship experience with real companies in Thailand or China. This structure ensures students gain deep knowledge, language skills, cross-cultural adaptability, and practical work experience before graduation.

The curriculum emphasizes EV battery technology comprehensively—from design and battery management systems (BMS) to diagnostics, maintenance, and battery recovery—a skillset in high demand globally in the EV and clean energy sectors. PBRU currently operates 10 faculties covering engineering, technology, health, education, business, agriculture, law, and social sciences, with particular focus on producing a new generation of engineers and technologists ready for future industries. Enrollment is open online at https://pbru.ac.th/admission until August 14, 2024, with scholarships and Earn While Learn programs available to ease family costs.

Bangkok is preparing to overhaul its land and building tax system to make it more efficient, following the discovery that many landowners are planting agricultural crops on vacant plots to claim lower agricultural tax rates and avoid higher vacant-land taxes. The city plans to increase agricultural land tax rates from the current 0.01–0.1% to 0.03–0.12%, or from 100 baht per million to 300 baht per million. The proposal will be submitted to Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt, the Bangkok City Council, the Finance Ministry, and the Interior Ministry. The revision comes seven years after the 2019 Land and Building Tax Act took effect. Currently, landowners who leave plots vacant or underutilized pay 0.3–0.7% tax, with penalties increasing by 0.3% every three years. Some owners have planted bananas, mangoes, and lemons on vacant land to qualify for the lower agricultural rate and reduce their tax burden, even if they are not engaged in genuine farming. The higher rate is intended to close this loophole and ensure Bangkok collects full tax revenue.

Bangkok Bank has partnered with Thai AirAsia and AirAsia Rewards to upgrade the AirAsia Platinum Mastercard for its 12th year under the concept "Upgrade Every Trip, Live Smarter." The card was developed based on current customer needs and modern consumer behavior data, emphasizing convenience and value. Beyond simple payment processing, it now serves as a gateway to enhanced travel experiences with increased benefits including point accumulation for AirAsia flights or other rewards, 0% installment options on airfare, and airport and in-flight privileges. The redesigned card features a modern "Be Unique and Travel On" style using recycled PVC material, reducing plastic consumption and energy use in manufacturing. Choke Na Ranong noted that over the past 11 years, the card has received strong customer acceptance, and Bangkok Bank positions itself not just as a financial services provider but as a partner understanding modern consumers who value experience, benefits, and environmental responsibility alongside security standards. Thansita Akkhiruttiphirom, commercial director of Thai AirAsia, stated the airline focuses on building long-term customer relationships rather than just passenger numbers, with the card enabling regular travelers and embedding the brand into daily life through spending, point accumulation, and travel planning. She highlighted this as a key step in building AirAsia's loyalty ecosystem, offering VIP benefits from check-in through baggage claim, plus daily lifestyle rewards through cashback and points even on non-travel days, fostering repeat travel and brand loyalty. Shannon Liu, head of AirAsia Rewards member program management, indicated the program is evolving beyond simple point accumulation for travel.