On July 21, 2026, police commanders ordered officers from Bangkok's Narcotics Division and Region 7 Police to conduct coordinated raids across four locations in the Bung Kum and Bang Kapi districts. The sweeping operation resulted in the arrest of six Vietnamese nationals.

The investigation began after a courier discovered something suspicious in tamarind paste containers bound for overseas. Police subsequently seized more than 2 kilograms of pure methamphetamine and arrested a Thai national named Sompong, who had allegedly opened a bank account for his Vietnamese girlfriend during the previous week.

During searches at the four targeted locations, police found no violations at three residences in Khlong Kum and Khlong Chan areas. At the fourth location in the Khlong Chan subdistrict, Bang Kapi, officers discovered six Vietnamese women staying together, including Sompong's girlfriend.

When questioned, the suspects claimed they came to Thailand to work in entertainment through a modeling agency that paid them 700 baht per assignment. They denied involvement in international drug trafficking but admitted to drug use.

Deputy Commander Thirdej revealed that the network had exploited courier services by hiding narcotics among agricultural products and dried food. Police warned the public against accepting suspicious packages for overseas delivery and cautioned against lending bank accounts or personal documents to others, warning that such actions constitute participation in international organized crime and will result in prosecution.

Pimtha Amyuedetchakorn, a presenter and brand ambassador across multiple categories, has been named the latest brand ambassador for Simplus, a small electrical appliance brand for the young generation worldwide. Simplus officially celebrated its fifth anniversary through a special event called "Live Young With Simplus," bringing together consumers, fans, and media to celebrate the brand's milestone. The event also launched a new collaborative collection "Simplus x Monchhichi" under the tagline "Add some cute, Feel the plus" to add cuteness to everyday moments.

A key highlight of the event was the appearance of Pimtha Amyuedetchakorn, Simplus's brand ambassador, who met fans on stage, participated in interactive activities, and created memorable moments with attendees. Her participation added vibrancy and excitement to the brand's fifth-anniversary celebration, reflecting the close connection between Simplus and Thailand's younger generation.

In an interview, Pimtha revealed: "I came to join Simplus's 'Live Young, Live Beautiful' event today. These are such cute electrical appliances and they're celebrating their fifth anniversary—this is a major event for Simplus. Speaking about the blender, it has a function where you can just press and blend instantly, which really answers the needs of a modern lifestyle. Say we're in a rush and don't have time—we can just prepare the ingredients, take the blender in the car, and blend on the go. When time is tight, it's perfect. Personally, I also use the air purifier quite often.

Their collaboration with Monchhichi is adorable—I'd encourage fans to check it out. It's very cute with a minimalist design. I want to invite fans to see how cute their products are. Also, keep an eye out for what else they'll collaborate with!"

For the fifth-anniversary celebration, Simplus also launched a special campaign to thank both long-time and new customers through the "100 Young Stories with Simplus" activity. Consumers who purchase Simplus products by July 30, 2026, and share their own "Live Young" moment with their favorite Simplus product on social media will have the chance to win exclusive prizes, including Simplus x Monchhichi gift sets, 800-baht vouchers, 50% discount coupons, and loyalty points.

Central Department Stores, part of Central Retail, is reinforcing its position as a premier shopping and lifestyle destination for international travelers by launching the SHOP & WIN campaign at Central Chitlom and Central World. The campaign runs from now through August 31, 2026, welcoming foreign visitors arriving for the summer season with full shopping experiences and prize giveaways. Visitors can enjoy a complete one-stop shopping experience at Central Department Stores featuring diverse product categories including fashion, beauty, watches and jewelry, home furnishings, small appliances, luggage, and mother-and-baby items from both Thai and international brands. The stores also offer culinary experiences ranging from authentic Thai cuisine and street food to Michelin-guide restaurants, international dining, and halal options, all delivered with world-class Thai hospitality. Visitor-friendly services include VAT refunds, hotel delivery, and translation support. The SHOP & WIN campaign is designed to attract and drive foot traffic from international tourists to Central Department Stores while boosting spending, enhanced by The 1 Expat membership perks for an even richer experience. Throughout July and August, shoppers can collect exclusive merchandise and rewards including the new CENTRAL BABY CEE plush keychain, gift cards worth 100 baht, Bangkok-themed tote bags, travel sets, canvas bags, and elephant-patterned apparel. Lifestyle rewards from partner brands include movie tickets from Embassy Diplomat Screens, Alipay souvenirs, and a one-night stay at Park Hyatt Bangkok. Foreign customers with receipts and a passport can claim prizes from a lucky draw box at the customer service desk—one receipt equals one entry. The 1 Expat members enjoy additional benefits, including one free souvenir without requiring a receipt, by redeeming a coupon through The 1 app and presenting it at participating store customer service desks. The campaign runs through August 31, 2026 at Central Chitlom and Central World, or while supplies last.

Bangkok Bank and its subsidiaries reported net profit of 20.492 billion baht for the first half of 2025, down 16.2% compared to the same period last year, with net interest income falling 12.4% due to the bank's interest rate reductions, resulting in a net interest margin of 2.46%.

Loan expansion remained a supporting factor for the bank's revenue, partially offsetting the impact of lower rates. Fee and service income improved thanks to continued growth in bancassurance and mutual fund services, along with increased securities commissions from capital market conditions and trading activity. However, other operating income declined.

Operating expenses decreased 6.5%, reflecting proper cost management alongside continuous operational efficiency improvements, bringing the cost-to-income ratio to 47.1%. Expected credit losses totaled 17.435 billion baht, down from the previous year as a result of the bank's consistently cautious reserve provisioning policy.

Bangkok Bank continued its prudent and careful business approach while maintaining appropriate levels of financial stability, liquidity, and capital. As of June 30, 2025, the bank's total loans stood at 2.678 trillion baht, up 2.7% from year-end, driven by corporate and foreign business lending. The impaired loan ratio remained manageable at 3.3%, while the loan loss reserve coverage ratio remained strong at 306.3% due to the bank's continued conservative provisioning practices.

Deposits as of June 30, 2025 totaled 3.212 trillion baht, up 0.5% from year-end, with a loan-to-deposit ratio of 83.4%. The bank's total capital ratio, Tier 1 capital ratio, and Common Equity Tier 1 ratio stood at 21.4%, 16.9%, and 16.9% respectively, all exceeding the Bank of Thailand's minimum requirements.

BANGKOK — Thailand's Cabinet has approved a draft ministerial regulation to remove the red-whiskered bulbul, also known as the "Nok Krong Hua Juk" songbird, from the country's protected wildlife list, paving the way for wider breeding and commercial development.

Deputy Government Spokesperson Lalida Prertwiwatana said on Tuesday that the Cabinet approved the principle of the draft regulation proposed by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

The move would remove the red-whiskered bulbul from the list of protected non-aquatic wildlife species, where it is currently listed as a protected bird under item No. 576. The government said the change aims to support breeding, increase captive populations and develop the bird as an economic animal that can generate income for breeders.

Under the current regulations, owners, breeders and traders of red-whiskered bulbuls are required to obtain official permits and meet legal requirements, which have limited wider breeding and expansion, Lalida said.

She added that changing the bird's status would allow people to breed and propagate the species more easily, helping increase captive populations and reducing reliance on catching birds from the wild.

The government also said the move would support local traditions, particularly in southern Thailand, where bird keeping and singing competitions are part of community culture.

The Wildlife Conservation and Protection Committee has approved the removal of the red-whiskered bulbul from the protected list, while instructing the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation to closely monitor wild populations.

If the bird's population declines or faces risks to its survival, authorities will reconsider restoring its protected status, Lalida said.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment previously opened a public consultation on the draft regulation between 11 and 25 February 2026. Lalida said most respondents supported the proposal, while relevant agencies raised no objections and viewed it as a way to create economic value for breeders.

"The change aims to balance support for local livelihoods and community economies with natural resource conservation," Lalida said, adding that the government would promote responsible breeding while continuing to monitor wild populations to prevent ecological impacts and illegal capture.

The government announced cabinet meeting results addressing public demands to review welfare card eligibility criteria, a major current issue. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul noted that public feedback shows many struggling people fail the screening despite genuine need for help—such as those registered as owners of defunct vehicles still in records, or students advancing their education whose true circumstances don't match current criteria. The prime minister acknowledged gaps in welfare card screening rules. He stressed that citizens should not have to approach the state or wait for appeals; government agencies must instead proactively reach out to communities, conduct surveys, listen, and solve problems so deserving people don't fall through the system. He assigned the Interior Ministry to coordinate with provincial governors and local agencies to urgently survey those who failed screening but merit assistance, and submit data to the Finance Ministry for quick review. The Transport Ministry must accelerate updating vehicle registration databases, reduce citizen burdens in scrapping defunct registrations, and fast-track legal and regulatory amendments. The Finance Ministry must urgently review screening criteria to align with fact and current hardship, identify rules that exclude the deserving, and propose improvements to cabinet. The prime minister's recognition of public concerns and directive for proactive government action on welfare card screening is appropriate, with focus on updating data to reflect true circumstances, especially vehicle and motorcycle ownership rules—currently a severe problem. Without fixes, millions of citizens risk being left out. Additional affected groups include out-of-school students under the Education Ministry and vulnerable populations under the Social Development and Human Security Ministry, numbering hundreds of thousands. The hope is for more proactive government work to close loopholes and help people comprehensively and accurately.