Maha Sarakham—July 16, 2025. A solemn atmosphere filled the grounds of Ban Nong Khuean Chang Temple in Mueang District, Maha Sarakham Province, as relatives, friends, and villagers gathered to pay respects after the family of Ladawalai Netsopha, known as "Nong Prae," age 20, received her remains. She was one of the victims of a fire at an entertainment venue in Bangkok's Ladprao area. The Po Tek Tung Foundation brought her body to Maha Sarakham in the early morning hours, and the family decided to hold a funeral service at the temple for convenience, since their home is located far from town.

Sukhanya Sena, village headman of Don Tal Village, stated that Nong Prae was a kind, diligent, and selfless young woman who served as a volunteer and youth leader in the community. She excelled in school and worked part-time jobs whenever she had free time to help support her family. Her household consisted of only four members—her father, grandfather, older sister, and herself. Despite her circumstances, Nong Prae demonstrated remarkable determination, once collecting milk containers at street intersections and reselling goods to earn income. She worked while completing secondary school and later enrolled at Ramkhamhaeng University in Bangkok while continuing to work, sending money home each month to care for her father and grandfather.

The village headman expressed deep sorrow, noting that Nong Prae was just beginning to build a promising future through both her studies and work. He called on authorities to provide comprehensive support to the family, as they had lost their primary breadwinner.

Nong Prae's older sister, Lakkhana Netsopha, known as "Nong Gaem," revealed that on the night of the incident, her sister had asked permission to go out with friends, saying she would visit a restaurant. Nong Gaem received a call from a friend alerting her to the fire. After viewing photos of victims at Phahol Yothin Police Station and identifying the young woman in a red dress and high heels as her sister, she traveled to the police hospital to provide a DNA sample for official identification.

Nong Gaem also recounted an unusual omen: she typically turned off her phone while sleeping, but that night she had inexplicably left it on with the volume up. She spoke through tears, saying that both she and her sister were the pillars of their family, contributing approximately 10,000 baht monthly to care for their father and grandfather. With her sister's death, she expressed uncertainty about how to move forward, as they had spent every day together. She called on the business operator to take responsibility and provide appropriate compensation to the bereaved family.

The funeral service for Nong Prae was held on July 16, 2025, at Ban Nong Khuean Chang Temple in Mueang District, amid the grief of family members, relatives, and villagers struggling to come to terms with the loss.

According to a new study released by the Pew Research Center, a non-partisan US-based think tank, 25 of 36 countries surveyed now view China more positively than the United States—marking the first time this finding has emerged since the organization began tracking global opinion in 2002, 24 years ago. The research shows that favorable views of China have reached historic highs in many countries, while perceptions of the United States have declined significantly. Over 42,000 respondents across 36 countries surveyed between February and May expressed low confidence in both US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, although Xi received higher confidence ratings than Trump. The survey found that the United States is still seen as more respectful of individual freedoms than China, but China is viewed as less likely to meddle in other nations' affairs than the US. The Pew Research Center noted that favorable views of the US had dropped sharply in the past, including in 2008 during the final years of President George W. Bush's administration and in 2017 at the beginning of Trump's first term, but Chinese favorability ratings had remained at similar or slightly lower levels during those periods. Among the countries with the most positive views of China are Spain, Indonesia, Italy, Greece, and Canada, while the six countries that still favor the United States are mostly strong US allies: Poland, the Philippines, South Korea, India, Japan, and Israel.

On July 15, 2026, the Army Region 2 Command invited the public, runners, and health enthusiasts to join the charitable walk-and-run event "RUN FOR HONOR 2026" under the theme "Every Step for the Honor of the Sacrificed." The event will take place on December 20, 2026, at Pra Sat Ta Khwai and Hill 350, bringing people together to remember the bravery and sacrifice of those who served to protect Thailand.

This is not merely a competitive race or fitness activity, but a run along a historic path where participants can experience the true meaning of honor, sacrifice, and remembrance through each step across a place of national pride. The route reflects the courage and selfless dedication of heroes who gave their lives for the country.

The Army Region 2 Command invites all sectors of society to participate in "RUN FOR HONOR 2026" on December 20, 2026, to commemorate this significant day and create another moment in history where every step of the run carries meaning to honor the fallen. This is where their stories of heroism begin, waiting for everyone to take part together.

Luang Pu Di Phutthachoti, the former abbot of Wat Henu (Wat Tevo Sangkharam) in Kanchanaburi, is deeply revered by local devotees, and his amulets and talismans are highly prized. His 2507 BE commemorative coin, commissioned by Supreme Patriarch Somdet Phra Sangkharat Krom Luang Wachirayan Warorot to mark two significant occasions in the abbot's life—his elevation to the rank of Thepchao and his 91st birthday—features a portrait in three-quarter profile, struck in alpaca by the Royal Mint. The reverse bears Khmer script and Thai inscriptions.

Luang Por Pring Intachoti of Wat Bang Prakot in Bangkok, an accomplished teacher, created his first-edition struck copper coin in 2483 BE. Cast in an oval form with joined loops, it depicts the monk in deep meditation on a pedestal, surrounded by Thai inscriptions of his name and date. Legend holds that soldiers who carried this amulet to the Indochinese War returned safely unharmed.

Luang Pu Tuang Thamachoto, former abbot of Wat Ban Yang in Maha Sarakham, had coins created eighteen years after his passing in 2512 BE. The oval coins feature his portrait and protective Khmer and Thai mantras, cast in dark copper and silver-plated versions, serving as rare local artifacts of Maha Sarakham.

In 2552 BE, Phra Pannyawutti Wimol, abbot of Wat Chonathip Chaloem, a royal temple in Satun, commissioned a second edition of the "Phutthapatimakorn Coin, B.E. 2483." Cast in both copper and alpaca, these 3,000 coins support a conservation fund for the temple's ancient principal Buddha image and the base of the temple's original chedi, honoring Luang Pu Tuad.

Reporter Ekapong Phutha from Khon Kaen News visited Ban Non Tun village in Muang district, Khon Kaen province, where residents hunt grasshoppers after sunset along roadsides, abandoned spaces, and densely grassed agricultural plots during the insects' active feeding and resting period.

The hunters use minimal equipment: a headlamp to search in darkness and a punctured plastic bottle fitted below rubber boots to collect captured grasshoppers, with the boots protecting against stepping on sharp debris. Once a grasshopper is spotted clinging to grass, hunters quickly hand-catch it and place it in the bottle.

Resident Attit Panthuchinakun, 37, noted that these are pa thang kha grasshoppers, most abundant during the rainy season when abundant young grass provides natural food, triggering breeding and nocturnal foraging.

After capture, the grasshoppers are cleaned and prepared by frying, salt-roasting, or making into traditional dishes like fried grasshoppers or bamboo shoot curry—popular folk foods valued for their flavor, crispiness, and high protein content.

During years with large harvests, residents sell surplus grasshoppers to neighbors at 40 baht per handful, providing supplementary income.