The Thai Volleyball Association and Chiang Mai Provincial Administration are hosting the BYD DMI 6th SEA V Cup women's volleyball tournament with four nations competing from August 7-9 at Chiang Mai's 700-Year Stadium. The competition aims to develop women's volleyball in Southeast Asia, with live broadcasts on Channel One31. The participating countries are Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Thailand.

The tournament schedule includes: August 7 at 1:00 PM—Indonesia vs. Vietnam, followed by Philippines vs. Thailand at 4:30 PM; August 8 at 1:00 PM—Vietnam vs. Philippines, and Thailand vs. Indonesia at 4:30 PM; August 9 at 1:00 PM—Philippines vs. Indonesia, and Vietnam vs. Thailand at 4:30 PM.

Paskorn Rangsiwatanaskul, Secretary to the Minister of Tourism and Sports, stated that his ministry prioritizes sports development at all levels, as sports contributes to human development, economic growth, and enhancing Thailand's international image. The ministry is committed to supporting athlete and coaching development, raising competition standards, and establishing Thailand as a regional hub for international sporting events.

Somporn Chaibangyang, President of the Thai Volleyball Association, emphasized that the association has worked to advance volleyball comprehensively—developing players, coaches, referees, and growing the fan base. Hosting the SEA V Cup provides an opportunity for regional athletes to showcase their abilities, exchange experiences, and raise competitive standards. He expressed confidence that Thailand's women's team has sufficient talent to win the championship, though noting that the men's team faces challenges with injuries.

Writer Lab CEO Yodh Sukwivatana has unveiled the Lady Bee film project, a classical adaptation of the famous literary work Jundara that offers a fresh perspective by centering on a female character. Rather than following the protagonist Jan as in the original, this version tells the story through the eyes of Khun Boonluang, or Lady Bee, allowing audiences to understand this character with greater depth while respecting the core elements of the source material.

The production assembled an all-female creative team—including director, cinematographer, production designer, costume designer, and set coordinators—to authentically convey the female perspective throughout the filmmaking process. Actress Ingfah was recommended for the lead role by international talent agencies who recognized her potential and star quality from previous work, as well as her appeal to foreign markets. The team had previously brought Ingfah to the Cannes Film Festival to meet potential international buyers.

The script development involved extensive research and collaboration across departments, with input from marketing and distribution teams from the outset. The screenplay was tested with diverse audience groups—longtime fans of the original, new generations unfamiliar with the story, and various demographics including international investors—to gather genuine feedback and refine the material. An international script consultant was also engaged to improve the script's universal appeal for global markets.

Yodh emphasized that while Lady Bee is a commercial film designed primarily for Thai audiences, it targets international markets strategically. Writer Lab is pursuing investment from outside the film industry, advising investors to diversify capital across three to four films rather than investing entirely in one project, and is bringing in international co-investors. Thai films currently benefit from government tax incentive programs, and Thai content is gaining recognition among foreign studios for both creative talent and professional budget management.

The primary target markets are across Asia—particularly China, Indonesia, and Vietnam—which show strong cinema growth and box office performance. Western markets, including the United States and Europe, are being approached through international film festivals and the marketplace, given current international demand for feminist-themed cinema.

The Surat Thani Provincial Fisheries Office deployed air boats on July 9, 2026 to patrol Ban Poht Bay in Don Sak District and prevent illegal fishing and unauthorized cockle harvesting. Deputy Director Nathapol Sinpulpon led provincial fisheries officers in patrolling the area during the natural cockle spawning season to detect and stop violations involving prohibited fishing equipment. The abundance of wild cockles during this period attracts substantial illegal harvesting activity.

Nathapol noted that the current season brings an influx of cockles, drawing numerous local fishermen who collect and sell cockles to traders for aquaculture. Local fishermen typically earn 2,000-3,000 baht daily from cockle sales, encouraging both residents and outsiders to harvest from natural cockle beds as an income source.

In response, the Surat Thani Fisheries Office deployed air boat patrol units to monitor Ban Poht Bay. The office has coordinated with the Don Sak District Officer, district fisheries officials, community leaders, and related agencies to conduct ongoing surveillance and prevent further illegal fishing and unauthorized cockle dredging in the natural cockle grounds.

Thailand's women's volleyball team was unable to overcome host Japan in the Women's Nations League 2026 Week 3 competition in Osaka, Japan (July 8-12, 2026). Thailand competes alongside the United States, Japan as hosts, Brazil, and Turkey.

On July 9, 2026, in their second match at Asus Arena Osaka, world-ranked 22nd Thailand faced 5th-ranked hosts Japan. Thailand has played 9 matches with 2 wins and 7 losses for 9 points, while Japan has competed in 9 matches with 6 wins and 3 losses for 16 points, holding 7th place in the standings.

Coach Kitti Ratchagrienglai, head coach of Thailand's women's volleyball team, made one personnel change from the first match, bringing back setter Porpan Koetprajai who had recently recovered from illness. The team featured Tudtao Nookjaeng, Satipha Jantvisuth, Pimpichaya Kokkram, Ajcharaporn Khongyot, and Kaewkalya Kumultala, with Piyanus Phaenoi as libero.

Thailand attempted to play fast offensive volleyball with strong net plays, but Japan's solid preparation and tight defense proved superior. Strong offensive plays from Japan's veteran spiker Yukiko Wada eventually secured the victory. Despite Coach Kitti's attempts to adjust tactics, Thailand lost 1-3 sets with scores of 15-25, 21-25, 25-22, and 22-25. Japan earned their 7th win, bringing their total to 19 points, while Thailand remains at 9 points.

Thailand's next match is against Brazil on July 11, 2026 at 1:30 PM Thailand time.

Maserati Thailand is enhancing rainy season driving performance with a special 'MASERATI CLINIC Check Up' campaign featuring complimentary software updates and exclusive promotions.

Piyathep Siwakach, General Manager of Maserati Thailand, explained that the company operates with a customer-centric philosophy aimed at maximizing satisfaction for Maserati vehicle owners. Ensuring confidence and safety during the rainy season is a key priority, which led to this special campaign designed to maintain vehicle performance through comprehensive inspections and maintenance.

The 'MASERATI CLINIC Check Up' campaign promises peace of mind for drivers, regardless of rainfall intensity. Maserati Thailand invites all owners to bring their vehicles in for service under this campaign, which offers numerous benefits including: - Complimentary inspection of engine systems, transmission, suspension, cooling systems, and more - Free software updates - 15% discount on genuine parts - Exclusive offer for MOBILIFE members: free 'Air Refreshing' service to refresh the cabin - Special pricing on genuine Maserati batteries

The campaign runs from today through July 31 at Maserati showrooms.

Chelsea officially announced the appointment of Xabi Alonso as the club's new manager on a four-year contract through the club's official website. Alonso, a former Spanish national team midfielder, has extensive experience managing top-tier clubs including Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen, where he led the team to their first Bundesliga championship in club history. Alonso will begin his role as Chelsea manager on July 1, 2025, and will manage the club from Stamford Bridge under the four-year deal.