Samut Songkhram province held a grand celebration of the Sunset Festival at Don Hoi Lot, with Governor Chayachai Saengindorn presiding over the opening ceremony on July 1, 2569, at the Chumphon Krom Luang Monument in Bang Ja Kreng subdistrict. Organized by the provincial Tourism and Sports Office in collaboration with public and private agencies, the five-day festival running through July 5 aimed to promote Don Hoi Lot as a major tourist destination, boost visitor numbers, and generate income for local businesses and communities.

The festival featured diverse activities including 40 food vendors selling seafood, local cuisine, and community products; live music performances by renowned artists such as Pee Oopong Kul, Haii Apapon, Nancy Gulap Roy Rueam, Season Five, and Bow Supervalentine; creative workshops and exhibitions on local food and wetland heritage; sculpture displays; trash-for-souvenir exchanges; boat tours; and various competitions including cooking contests, cover dance battles, oyster-eating races, mini golf, and paddleboarding races.

Governor Chayachai stated that blood cockles represent a crucial identity for Samut Songkhram alongside other local resources, giving the province confidence to pursue UNESCO Gastronomy City status. He emphasized that the festival demonstrated the province's potential, resources, and readiness to become a creative food-focused city in the near future. The province invited residents and tourists to experience the stunning sunset views at Don Hoi Lot while enjoying entertainment, cuisine, and supporting local community products throughout the festival period at the Chumphon Krom Luang Monument.

Chiang Mai — A formal installation ceremony was held at Wat Chedi Luang Voraviharn in Chiang Mai on July 1 to receive the Sangha Supreme Patriarch's appointment of Phra Rajvachirsin as regional abbot. Chiang Mai Governor Rathapol Naradis served as chairman of the lay delegation and announced the Supreme Patriarch's royal decree officially appointing Phra Rajvachirsin (Umphorn Katpunyo), current abbot of Wat Chedi Luang Voraviharn, to the position of regional abbot for Chiang Mai, Lamphun, and Mae Hong Son provinces (Thammayut sect).

Senior monks including Phra Thammasenabodi, regional abbot of Zone 7, and Phra Tephvachirathipt, regional abbot of Zones 6-7 (Thammayut), presided over the monastic contingent. The ceremony drew large numbers of monks, government officials, representatives from various agencies, disciples, and Buddhist devotees.

On June 24, the Sangha Supreme Patriarch issued the royal appointment elevating Phra Rajvachirsin from his previous roles as abbot of Wat Chedi Luang Voraviharn and deputy regional abbot to the position of regional abbot for Chiang Mai, Lamphun, and Mae Hong Son provinces, with administrative authority over all Buddhist communities in the region according to the Mahatherasmakom Regulations No. 23 (B.E. 2541).

During the ceremony, Phra Khru Thammathorn Nathapong (Kuntad), a senior scholar and political science graduate at Wat Chedi Luang Voraviharn, was also appointed as secretary to the regional abbot.

Phra Rajvachirsin, the 9th abbot of Wat Chedi Luang Voraviharn, was born on April 11, 1957, and is currently 55 years old with 35 Buddhist Lent seasons. He holds the monastic rank of royal monk and is regarded as a respected elder of Chiang Mai who commands the faith and devotion of Buddhists.

Pattani Provincial Court has delivered its verdict in Security Case No. 145/69 against Roza (surname withheld), finding him guilty of sedition, conspiracy to commit terrorism, and illegal possession of firearms, ammunition, and explosives without proper registration or authorization, as well as carrying weapons in urban and public areas without lawful cause. The case originated from the defendant's arrest by security officials on October 23, 2025, which led to the discovery of hidden weapons and military equipment in a rubber plantation located in Thung Pla subdistrict, Kok Pho district, Pattani province. The court considered evidence and the defendant's confession as mitigating factors, reducing the sentence by half from the initial 11-year term to 4 years and 18 months imprisonment. The defendant remains in custody pending appeal.

The Department of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has issued a warning against accepting or being hired to transport luggage abroad under any circumstances. The department strictly prohibits citizens from accepting parcels or packages from others to carry overseas, whether for payment or at the urging of acquaintances claiming to know the recipient. Such arrangements risk concealing illegal items including prohibited goods, smuggled merchandise, or drugs. Anyone caught transporting such items faces legal responsibility in their own name. Drug possession or trafficking carries severe penalties both in Thailand and internationally, and cannabis—including extracted oils with THC content exceeding 0.2 percent—remains classified as a controlled substance in many countries. The department advises all travelers to manage only their own luggage, firmly refuse requests to carry items for others, and prioritize their safety while traveling.

Police arrested 38-year-old Vunchai on July 1 on a court arrest warrant dated June 10, charging him with theft at a public shrine. The arrest came after an American tourist filed a complaint on February 13, reporting that his iPhone 16 Pro Max was stolen from inside Wat Pho temple on Maharaj Road in Bangkok's Pranakorn District. Investigators reviewed security camera footage to identify the suspect before issuing an arrest warrant and locating him.

During questioning, Vunchai claimed he was formerly a watch seller who became interested in Buddha amulets and visited amulet markets, including Tha Phra Chan Market, to resell items. On the day of the incident, he entered Wat Pho to pray and wait for transportation home to Bang Khae. He claimed he found the phone abandoned at the base of a Buddha statue, took it, and sold it as a used device for 800 baht.

Investigators determined he had committed similar thefts three times at Wat Pho between January and February. In the first incident, he stole a tourist's wallet. In the second incident, he stole a mobile phone. In the third incident, he stole another mobile phone. After the third incident, he attempted to enter the temple again but was pursued by security guards and fled. He has now been taken into police custody for legal proceedings.

Customs officers at Phuket International Airport, working with relevant agencies, arrested two Uzbek nationals after discovering they had concealed dried cannabis flowers and cannabis products in their luggage for unauthorized export on July 1, 2026.

The first suspect, 26-year-old Jalilboyevich from Uzbekistan, was found with dried cannabis buds packed in 30 vacuum-sealed bags weighing 9.8 kilograms total, along with 14 processed cannabis sticks weighing 1.03 kilograms. Officers inspected his luggage on the first floor of the international departure terminal and identified two suspicious bags among his four total pieces of luggage.

The second suspect, 26-year-old Mukiddinnovitch, also from Uzbekistan, was found with 30 dried cannabis flower bundles (9.8 kilograms), 8 bags of cannabis resin (4.1 kilograms), and 5 processed cannabis sticks plus 9 cannabis blocks in one package (2 kilograms total). His luggage was inspected on the third floor of the international departure building.

Both suspects acknowledged ownership of all luggage and consented to searches, with X-ray examinations confirming the contraband. They face charges under the 2017 Customs Act for attempting to export controlled goods without customs clearance, as well as violations of narcotics and controlled botanical substance laws. Both remain in custody pending investigation and legal proceedings.