On July 19, authorities reported a house fire in Soi Somdet Phra Chao Taksin 11, Thonburi district, Bangkok, that claimed two lives—a man and woman—along with numerous cats. The deceased were identified as Anuchiт Sunthorkitti, an ASEAN-level fine art photographer, and his wife. The fire occurred on July 18 and is preliminarily attributed to electrical short-circuiting at the lower floor breaker panel, with 73 pet cats found dead and 17 rescued. Students and photography professionals have posted tributes to the master photographer and his wife.

Anuchiт Sunthorkitti was a renowned Thai master of fine art photography who defined himself not as a photographer or artist, but simply as "a man observing the world's changes." He and his wife were known for their compassion in caring for stray cats left at their home for decades.

Born in 1964 in Saraburi Province, Sunthorkitti studied at Bangkok Christian College and earned a bachelor's degree in industrial education with a focus on architecture in 1987. He initially worked in architectural design and interior decoration, then taught architecture and art history from 1992 to 2000. He began self-studying photography in 1985 using a Pentax K1000, initially exploring relationships between nature, environment, and humanity, particularly birds and wildlife. In 2008, he transitioned to digital photography and computer-based post-processing, developing greater creative control over his final presentations.

In 2009, he developed his signature style called "Dynamic in the City," exploring urban environments, movement, and human emotion through spatial composition, color, light, and time. His architectural background profoundly influenced his photographic language, particularly his focus on relationships between people and space, and emotions created by light, shadow, and surroundings. Bangkok's Hua Lamphong Railway Station became one of his key subjects, which he viewed as a repository of stories about time, travel, and human life.

Bangkok, 16 July 2026 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) advises foreign visitors that the Thai Cabinet has approved updated details for visa exemption and Visa on Arrival measures. The five ...

On July 18, police arrested Somchai, 63, a taxi driver, after he struck retired officer Veeraphat Saisisuk on Rama III Road in Bangkok's Bang Kho Laem district on the morning of July 17. The victim sustained severe injuries and died at Charoen Krung Hospital. After the incident, Somchai fled the scene, but investigators found his red Toyota taxi at a repair shop in the Lad Krabang area and traced him to his son's house. He faces legal charges for hit-and-run resulting in death.

Vereraphat Saisisuk was a former officer at Wat Phraya Krai Police Station who, despite retiring 13 years earlier, maintained a deep commitment to public service. He volunteered every morning to direct traffic at the Rama III Road median near Soi 8, helping ensure the safety of commuters during his decades of dedicated service to the community.

A funeral service for nursing assistant Maneeratana Bomklaang, 38, was held on July 18 at Chatukham Macchamarama Temple in Buriram. She died in a bar fire in the Ladprao area of Bangkok. Her husband, Sergeant Thawee Kongdee, expressed that he cannot come to terms with losing his wife and their plans to start a family together. Since the incident, he said, the bar owner or their representative has not visited the family to apologize or offer condolences, nor sent any wreaths. Reports had suggested the bar's lawyer would provide 10,000 baht per victim, but the family has not received any contact or assistance. The husband is calling on government agencies to mediate negotiations for compensation and justice. "I will not let my wife die for nothing," he stated. His mother-in-law, Mayuree Bomklaang, 57, appealed directly to the bar owner to take responsibility and engage with the family to address the loss, as Maneeratana was an only daughter and the family's pillar of support.

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Phuket – Cyber police have arrested a 26‑year‑old man in downtown Phuket who, despite having only a primary school education, taught himself advanced hacking techniques using AI chatbots. Investigators revealed that the suspect initially attempted to breach police systems to erase his own arrest warrants before turning his attention to private websites with weaker defenses. […] Wanted Hacker Arrested in Phuket Who Tried to Erase Warrants and Stole 200,000 Baht via Gaming Website Hack  -=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=- The Phuket Express - Real. Unbiased. Impactful. In the moment.

Chengdu, 18 July 2026 – Prime Minister H.E. Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul led a high-level Thai delegation to advance Thailand’s tourism cooperation with western China through government and business engagements during his official visit to China from 16 to 20 July 2026, covering Shanghai, Chengdu and Beijing.

The Prime Minister today presided over the Thailand–China Sichuan Investment and Economic Forum 2026, which brought the Thai delegation together with more than 200 representatives of leading businesses in western China to discuss investment and economic cooperation.

The delegation included Mr. Ekniti Nitithanprapas, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance; Mr. Sihasak Phuangketkeow, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs; Dr. Yodchanan Wongsawat, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation; Mr. Varawut Silpa-archa, Minister of Industry; and Mr. Chaichanok Chidchob, Minister of Digital Economy and Society.

Also attending were H.E. Mr. Chatchai Viriyavejakul, Ambassador of Thailand to the People’s Republic of China; Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaibool, Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT); Mr. Narit Therdsteerasukdi, Secretary-General of the Thailand Board of Investment; and Mr. Sake Nopthaisong, Consul-General of Thailand in Chengdu, together with senior representatives of Thailand’s public and private sectors.

The delegation was formally welcomed by Mr. Shi Xiaolin, Governor of Sichuan Province; Mr. Hu Yuankun, Secretary of the Communist Party of China Sichuan Provincial Committee; and senior provincial officials and executives.

During the forum, the Prime Minister met separately with Mr. Wang Fei, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of Sichuan Airlines Group, and Mr. Li Jinfei, Vice President and Head of Hotels and Travel at Meituan, in special one-on-one meetings arranged by TAT Governor Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaibool.

Strategic cooperation with Sichuan Airlines centred on restoring the Chengdu–Chiang Mai service and exploring new routes to Hua Hin Airport and U-Tapao Rayong-Pattaya International Airport, expanding access beyond Thailand’s established gateways and supporting growing demand from western China.

Separately, TAT’s Ms. Thapanee discussed an expanded strategic partnership with Meituan, a major Chinese digital platform. Proposed cooperation includes data exchange to support market analysis and a Thailand National Campaign under the Two-Way Tourism concept, alongside gastronomy promotion through the Black Pearl Restaurant Guide and support for TAT’s Trusted Thailand initiative to strengthen confidence among Chinese travellers.

The engagements align with the policy of Mr. Surasak Phancharoenworakul, Minister of Tourism and Sports, to strengthen tourism infrastructure and air connectivity, including the development of Hua Hin Airport for international services and the wider use of U-Tapao Rayong-Pattaya International Airport as a regional gateway.

The discussions are expected to advance new direct air services alongside joint marketing with major Chinese partners, supporting Thailand’s tourism performance in the second half of 2026 and throughout 2027. The wider market drive targets more than 5.13 million Chinese visitors and at least 288.385 billion Baht in tourism revenue.

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