The Thai King has appointed Professor Dr. Phongrak Sribundit Mongkol to a second term as rector of Chiang Mai University, effective July 25, 2026, following approval by the university council on April 25, 2026. The appointment was formally announced in the Royal Gazette on July 14, 2026.

Professor Phongrak is an accomplished physician and administrator with a medical degree from Chiang Mai University, advanced credentials in forensic science from Mahidol University, and a doctorate in pharmacology and toxicology from Ohio State University. His previous roles include chairman of the Council of Thai University Presidents (2023–2024), vice rector of Chiang Mai University (2018–2022), and director of the university's medical excellence center (2010–2012).

During his first term, Chiang Mai University has made substantial progress toward its vision of becoming a leading institution responsible to society for sustainable development through innovation. The university achieved a Thailand Quality Class Plus Award for Innovation in 2023 from the National Productivity Institute and ranked 49th globally in the 2026 Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Rating out of 1,603 institutions worldwide. In gender equality and sustainable development goals, the university achieved top-20 global recognition. Economically and socially, the university has generated impact valued at approximately 56 billion baht, nearly reaching its 60 billion baht target by 2027, demonstrating its role in advancing national development through knowledge, innovation, and cross-sector collaboration.

Lab Panda has issued a warning via Facebook to parents after receiving reports that some students have been bringing tattoo equipment into schools and tattooing each other. Although the specific schools involved have not yet been confirmed due to a lack of additional details from the person who reported it, the page owner emphasizes that schools are not sterile environments. Tattooing in classrooms or bathrooms can expose wounds to dust and bacteria, significantly increasing the risk of skin infections, inflammation, and abscesses. The warning further alerts to the danger of bloodborne infections if the person doing the tattooing lacks knowledge of hygiene practices, reuses needles, or uses non-standard equipment, which could spread serious diseases such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV. Lab Panda recommends that parents watch their children closely and investigate any unexplained tattoos appearing on their arms or legs. Parents are urged to ask questions, educate their children about health risks, and monitor for behaviors that could lead to infection from unsafe and non-standard tattooing practices.

Two people were found dead and more than 30 cats perished after a fire broke out at a three-storey house in Bangkok's Thonburi district early on 18 July 2026, authorities said.

Police from Samre Police Station received a report of the blaze at 06:00 hrs at a house in Soi Somdet Phra Chao Taksin 11, Somdet Phra Chao Taksin Road, Samre subdistrict.

Firefighters from Talat Phlu Fire and Rescue Station and volunteers from the Poh Teck Tung Foundation were dispatched to the scene. Authorities said the fire started on the ground floor before spreading to the second floor. Firefighters brought the blaze under control after about 15 minutes.

Inside a room on the second floor, rescue workers found the bodies of a 62-year-old man and a 58-year-old woman. Officials also discovered the remains of more than 30 cats inside cages. Another 13 cats were rescued alive from the house.

Forensic police and doctors from Siriraj Hospital's Institute of Forensic Medicine examined the scene and collected evidence before the bodies were sent for autopsy. Authorities believe the fire may have been caused by an electrical short circuit, although the exact cause remains under investigation. Police are continuing their inquiry.

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul met with President Xi Jinping in Shanghai during his official visit to China this week, marking a new chapter in the Thailand-China strategic partnership. Key ...

Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya has a firm intention to carry forward the legacy of her royal grandmother, Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother, in developing and ...

Police from Samsen Station in Bangkok received a report of a residential fire at 6:00 a.m. on July 18, 2026, in Soi Somdet Phra Chao Taksin 11, Thonburi district. Firefighters from Talat Phlu Station and volunteers from the Po Tek Tung Foundation responded immediately.

The three-story house was engulfed in flames on the first floor and spreading to the second. Firefighters took approximately 15 minutes to extinguish the blaze. Upon inspection of the second-floor rooms, authorities discovered two deceased residents: a 62-year-old man and a 58-year-old woman. They also found over 30 dead cats in cages and managed to rescue 13 surviving cats.

Forensic officers and a medical examiner from Siriraj Hospital conducted autopsies and collected evidence. Preliminary investigation suggests the fire may have been caused by an electrical short circuit. Officials are continuing their investigation to determine the exact cause of the fire.