The body of Ms. Yadakarn, nicknamed Nong Oom and aged 32, who died in a beer hall fire in Ladprao on the night of July 12, was brought to Wat Mai Thai Charoen in Hu Thamnop subdistrict, Pak Chong district, Buriram on the morning of July 15 for a merit-making ceremony. The Poh Tek Tung Foundation coordinated the transport. An autopsy determined she died from oxygen deprivation due to smoke inhalation.

Her mother, Boonthong, 55, recalled that her daughter enjoyed helping others and had worked as a volunteer rescue worker in Kalasin and Khon Kaen provinces for many years. She had a 13-year-old son from a previous marriage whom her mother raised. The mother asked her daughter to stop volunteering work and instead seek employment to support the family. Her daughter then moved to Bangkok, where she worked and sent money home each month, calling regularly to check on her mother and brother. She had been preparing to return home soon for the rice-farming season as she did every year. The family was devastated upon learning the tragic news, particularly her son, who has now lost his mother.

The Poh Tek Tung Foundation, upon learning that Oom had previously served as a volunteer rescue worker, contacted the Suang Jaraniyat Rescue Unit in Buriram to provide 20,000 baht in financial assistance to the family.

A sedan erupted in flames in Nakhon Ratchasima on July 15, 2569, at around 7 a.m. near a school in Nong Bua Sala subdistrict, Muang district. Rescue teams from Sayang Metta Tham Sathan were dispatched after receiving reports of the fire. Upon arrival, they found the car engulfed in intense flames and spent approximately 10 minutes spraying water and suppressing agent to bring the fire under control, though the vehicle was completely destroyed.

At the scene, two people and a white dog in a cage were found shaken but unharmed. According to the driver, he was taking his daughter—a teacher—to work when he smelled fuel and noticed smoke billowing from under the vehicle. He immediately pulled over, and both occupants quickly evacuated with the dog before the fire erupted rapidly moments later, reducing the car to a total loss. Fortunately, all three escaped without injury.

Witnesses reported seeing flames under the front section of the car as it approached, but could not alert the driver in time. Police are continuing to investigate the exact cause of the fire. The vehicle uses both gasoline and LPG as fuel.

Pattaya City Police have transferred the officer shown in a viral video allegedly conducting improper traffic fine operations in hidden locations, and have established an urgent investigation committee. If findings confirm misconduct, both disciplinary and criminal penalties will be pursued. A group of Kuwaiti tourists aged 20-30 complained that during their month-long visit to Pattaya, they were repeatedly stopped by uniformed officers and fined for traffic violations in suspicious circumstances, presenting recorded video and receipts as evidence.

On July 15, 2569, Sirivat Katchamat, deputy superintendent of Pattaya City Police, stated that after provincial and local police leadership learned of the matter, they immediately established a fact-checking committee with him as chair to expedite the investigation. The officer featured in the video has been temporarily transferred to Pattaya City Police's service center pending the outcome of the fact-check.

Sirivat emphasized that authorities are currently gathering additional statements from the affected tourists to identify specific locations, payment methods, and other details. He confirmed that if the investigation finds the officer guilty of misconduct, provincial police will pursue both disciplinary and criminal action without exception.

Initial examination confirmed that the receipt shown as evidence is not from Pattaya City Police. Authorities still need to question the tourists further about the receipt's origin to continue their investigation. Sirivat urged all tourists visiting Pattaya to report any unfair treatment or exploitation to Pattaya City Police or the police hotline 112, available 24/7, and assured that Thai police remain committed to fairness, transparency, and swift action on all incidents in the area.

On July 4, 2025, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suchat Chomklin advanced government policy under Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to address and alleviate public hardship from water-related crises. He has instructed the Department of Water Resources to closely monitor El Niño impacts as volatile weather patterns leave some areas with prolonged dry spells while others face intense localized rainfall and flash flooding.

The department is mobilizing all available machinery, equipment, personnel, and resources to work with multi-sector networks to swiftly assist residents, ensure adequate drinking water supplies, reduce damage to agricultural zones, and strengthen preparedness against both drought and flood emergencies.

Theerathun Boonsit, director-general of the Department of Water Resources, revealed that the department is aggressively implementing its 2568–2569 drought and flood relief action plan to address El Niño's intensifying rainfall volatility. Over 50 million rai of land face drought risk, while 20.85 million rai are at flood risk. The department has prepared 399 water pumps and approximately 240 heavy machinery units, along with 2,275 flood and landslide warning stations, roughly 1,000 telemetry, hydrological, and CCTV monitoring stations, and 293 small water source monitoring stations. It also operates 11 regional water management centers, 60 clean water production and supply facilities, over 500 drought and flood relief pumping points, nearly 500 officers, and a 2,300-member civil network.

From October 1, 2024, through the present, the department has assisted 36 provinces with drought relief, pumping 23.25 million cubic meters and distributing over 9 million liters of water to approximately 140,000 households across roughly 190,000 rai of agricultural and residential land. Concurrently, it has aided 35 provinces facing flooding, pumping over 55 million cubic meters and assisting approximately 400,000 households across nearly 130,000 rai, demonstrating proactive implementation of government policy to deliver timely, targeted relief and minimize impact on public life.

BANGKOK: ASEAN’s special envoy on Myanmar has held talks with ethnic minority rebel groups and ‌a government-backed negotiation committee in an effort to tackle the country’s civil war, with both sides expressing openness to dialogue, the Philippines said yesterday (July 14).

The National Savings Fund (NSF) is inviting members to enroll in Direct Debit automatic monthly withdrawals of a minimum 300 baht on the 5th of each month to solve the problem of forgetting to save and ensure they receive government matching contributions. The NSF is upgrading its services to build a savings discipline that is easy and accessible to all target groups, and is inviting informal workers and members to register for automatic monthly bank account debit service (Direct Debit) with a minimum of 300 baht. The new debit date is set for the 5th of each month, starting September 2025, while highlighting the government's matching contribution benefit of up to 100 percent. The primary goal is to encourage informal workers—including traders, farmers, freelancers, students, and workers—to have sufficient pension savings for retirement. Saving at the start of the month promotes better financial discipline. The NSF has adjusted the automatic debit date for new members to make saving an easy and stable part of daily life. For new members registering between July 27–31, 2025, automatic debit will begin on August 5, 2025. Those registering after July 31 will have debit begin on the 5th of the following month, to align with when most people receive their monthly income. Existing members who have already enrolled in automatic debit can keep their current schedule on the 20th of each month, or request to change their debit cycle through their bank. The NSF believes this change will help members manage their savings more systematically. Saving with the NSF is not just depositing money—it is investing in the future with government support. Members receive government matching contributions by age bracket, up to 100 percent or no more than 1,800 baht per year, and all savings can be fully deducted from income tax. Those interested in joining the NSF or switching to automatic Direct Debit can register through any branch of four state banks: Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC), Government Savings Bank, Government Housing Bank (GHB), and Krung Thai Bank nationwide. For more information, contact the Savings Hotline at 02-049-9000 or Line @nsf.th, or visit www.nsf.or.th. "You save, the state helps you save, you get a pension."