Thai Life Insurance Public Company Limited, Thailand's first life insurance company, is continuing its "Thai Life Insurance Read For Life: Delivering Knowledge to Communities" program for 2025, marking its fifth year of operation.

Working with the Matichon media group, the company carefully selects quality books from Matichon Publishing and delivers them through company sales personnel to 24 community centers across the country near branch locations. The program aims to promote lifelong learning and advance equitable access to education in accordance with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Tithima Liaengpanich, Director of Communications and Organizational Sustainability at Thai Life Insurance, revealed that the Read For Life program has been running since 2021 and has distributed books to 216 community locations across all regions of Thailand. This year, the company selected books covering diverse subjects including self-development, health, finance, history, and arts and culture, delivering them to community centers through the company's nationwide branch network to distribute knowledge from the center outward to communities across different areas.

Tithima explained that the program targets all age groups and demographics. Although each area has different physical and geographic characteristics, the program remains aligned with the context and interests of each community group. For example, children and youth are interested in skill-building and foundational learning materials, working-age adults prefer life skills and financial books, while general communities value practical knowledge applicable to daily life.

"Over the past four years, the program has focused on promoting reading to create equal access to knowledge, which is central to sustainable development in line with global SDGs. Thai society still has significant gaps in opportunity and learning, especially in rural and remote areas and among vulnerable groups. We believe that access to knowledge is the starting point for reducing inequality and building sustainable quality of life," Tithima said.

Tithima shared an impressive case study showing that after book distribution, communities demonstrated increased reading awareness, leading to reading promotion activities such as storytelling circles and group discussion sessions. Some communities even expanded their library facilities, demonstrating that the books were put to real use and created tangible behavioral changes within those communities.

"The company considers the needs and participation of community members because we believe that valuable knowledge must begin with understanding the recipient. Our sales team, who work closely with communities, surveys and reflects community needs, then selects books appropriate to each location's context so every book can truly inspire, facilitate learning, and provide real benefit," she added.

Regarding changes in Thai reading behavior in the digital age, Tithima noted that Thai society is experiencing an information overload era, with people reading shorter materials and spending more time with digital media. However, the program remains confident that content quality has greater value and importance than the quantity of information.

Authorities have dismantled a major cigarette smuggling operation, seizing 7,500 cartons of untaxed cigarettes valued at over 70 million baht being transported from Sangkhla Buri District in Kanchanaburi to a warehouse in Wang Noi District, Ayutthaya Province. On July 18, based on intelligence received by 9th Infantry Regiment Commander Pol. Lt. Natthaphong Aswinwong, two covered pickup trucks were spotted attempting to move the contraband by concealing it among ordinary parcels. A joint operation involving military special forces units and Kanchanaburi Provincial Police intercepted both vehicles at the Tharyoek permanent checkpoint around 8:30 p.m. and discovered numerous cardboard boxes hidden inside. Upon inspection, the contents were identified as Krong Thip brand cigarettes in soft red packs labeled "FOR EXPORT ONLY"—products exempt from taxation that are prohibited from domestic sale.

The operation resulted in the arrest of two suspects, seizure of 150 boxes (7,500 cartons) of cigarettes, two covered pickup trucks, and three mobile phones, with total damages assessed at over 70 million baht. During initial questioning, the suspects confessed to being hired to transport the parcels from a warehouse in Sangkhla Buri to another in Wang Noi, Ayutthaya, claiming this was their second such delivery. Charges have been filed under the Excise Tax Act for possession and intent to sell tax-exempt goods without legal authorization. The suspects and evidence are in custody with Tharyoek Police Station, which will proceed with formal legal action.

A Facebook user has reported being attacked by multiple employees of a well-known parcel delivery company who broke into her home at night to demand payment for goods, assaulting both her and her 14-year-old son, despite her insistence that she was not the direct purchaser and had attempted to resolve the matter peacefully.

On July 19, 2025, at noon, the victim explained to a news outlet that the goods were ordered by her younger sister using the victim's TikTok account. When the delivery worker arrived, neither the sister nor the victim was home, so the worker left the package and said he would return to collect payment later. Upon her sister's return and inspection of the items, she discovered insufficient funds to pay for all the goods—approximately 2,000 baht—and wished to keep only one collagen box worth about 300 baht, requesting the remaining ten-plus items be returned. The worker refused, citing the fact that the packaging had already been opened and there was no video recording of the unboxing process, creating a payment dispute.

The delivery worker made multiple follow-up collection attempts. During one confrontation around 9 p.m. the following evening, the worker arrived with associates and an argument ensued. The victim again confirmed she would collect the money once her sister provided it, but stated she had no reserve funds to pay upfront. During the heated exchange, one of the workers suddenly got out of the vehicle, demanded "Why won't you pay?" and kicked a trash bin before shoving the victim.

When the 14-year-old son objected, he was punched in the face. The boy grabbed a broom handle to defend himself, which angered the assailant, who then attacked the child with kicks and blows. When the mother intervened, she too was knocked down and beaten repeatedly, sustaining injuries around her eyes from blows of an unidentified weapon amid the chaos.

After the attack, the victim attempted to push the assailant out of her home, but he tried to grab metal to strike again until his wife intervened and challenged the victim to file a police report, claiming she had no fear of law enforcement.

The victim confirmed her son did not initiate the violence but raised the broom handle only in self-defense after being punched first. She also noted that some online pages had misreported the incident, falsely claiming her son attacked the assailant first.

Currently, the boy still bears injuries to his leg and face but must continue attending school during exam period. No case progress has been made, though the company manager visited to apologize and stated the involved employees have been terminated. The company presented a fruit basket as a gesture of regret.

The victim stressed that the company's disciplinary action addresses only internal employment matters, but the criminal investigation remains pending.

NAKHON RATCHASIMA — A wedding catering business in Nakhon Ratchasima has filed a police complaint after being left with an unpaid bill of nearly 200,000 baht when a Thai bride allegedly failed to settle the cost of her lavish wedding reception, claiming her foreign groom never paid the promised dowry.

The owner of Krua Thong To Chin, a catering service in Pak Chong district, reported the incident to police after suffering losses of 195,000 baht.

According to the complaint, the bride hired the company to organize a full-service wedding reception, including 130 banquet tables, a live band, lighting and sound systems, and other event equipment.

The company said it completed the event as agreed but received only 130,000 baht, leaving an outstanding balance of 195,000 baht.

When asked to pay the remaining amount, the bride allegedly told the caterer that her foreign groom had failed to provide the agreed dowry, leaving her without enough money to cover the catering and event costs.

The business owner said the client later made only partial payments while repeatedly delaying settlement of the remaining balance, forcing the company to absorb the advance costs and affecting its cash flow.

The caterer has now filed a police report and urged other event organizers to use detailed contracts and stricter payment terms to reduce the risk of unpaid bills.

Thousands of vendors at Chatuchak Market are pleading with Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt for assistance, warning that merchants are facing economic collapse due to economic slowdown and lack of tourism support. The online page Drama-addict shared a complaint from market vendors, noting that Chatuchak Market—the largest market in Bangkok—is currently quiet and desolate with no marketing or tourism promotion from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. The vendors questioned whether the governor's pledge to "work for everyone" includes Chatuchak merchants, and argued that while the BMA continues collecting rent and service fees, it has a legal duty to maintain and promote the market. They urged for immediate short-term economic stimulus and recovery plans, arguing that abandoning a world-class soft power landmark would be unfair to citizens who pay taxes and fees to the Bangkok authorities every month.

On July 19, 2026, a reporter visited 28-year-old Ms. Saa, a former company employee from Prakonchaicharoen District, Buriram Province, who now lies bedridden at home unable to speak or move her limbs. She can only blink her eyes and does not respond to conversation, facial expressions, or smiles. Her 50-year-old aunt and 53-year-old mother care for her and her 10-month-old son, named Phi.

According to her aunt, on September 12 of the previous year, Ms. Saa went to Prakonchaicharoen Hospital in labor. Doctors determined she needed a caesarean section and delivered a healthy 3,200-gram baby boy. Ms. Saa recovered well and could walk normally after surgery. However, approximately one day later, she went into shock with convulsions. She was transferred to Buriram Central Hospital from September 13 to October 27—44 days—where doctors diagnosed her with a blood clot in her lungs. She was discharged to home care as a bedridden patient, receiving 70,000 baht in compensation and free hospital transport if needed.

Her aunt had to quit her job to care for her niece. The family applied for a state welfare card to help with expenses but was rejected because records incorrectly listed her as owning a vehicle, which she has never owned. Ms. Saa's mother revealed that her son-in-law disappeared after his wife fell ill, visiting only once and abandoning the family to fend for themselves. Without income, they struggle to afford diapers, wet tissues, and infant formula. Well-wishers have donated about 30,000 baht, but the family remains uncertain about their future. The mother pleaded for medical experts to advise on her daughter's condition and help improve her mobility to ease the burden on caregivers, noting that her daughter is deeply traumatized both physically and emotionally.