The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment organized a ceremony on July 27, 2569 at 08:30 to offer blessings to His Majesty on his birthday, July 28, while pledging to be good civil servants and support the nation. Minister Suchart Chomklin led executives, civil servants, and staff from the ministry in the ceremony, where they signed the royal pledge before the King's portrait. The minister opened traditional flower arrangements, paid respects, and led participants in offering good wishes and taking the civil service oath. All attendees, including those joining via video conference, sang hymns of praise and the national anthem at the ministry's Trideach conference room and signed their pledges of loyalty to demonstrate their devotion and gratitude to the Crown.

Former Thailand national tennis player found dead in PattayaLegacy Police in Chon Buri are investigating the death of a former Thailand national tennis team member, found at his home in Pattaya yesterday afternoon, July 26. His brother says the victim had recently raised concerns about a former student, who police now want to trace and question.

Officers from Nong Prue Police Station were called to a single-storey house in Nong Prue subdistrict, Bang Lamung district, at about 3pm. The property backs onto a large tennis club and sports complex. A police team, along with forensic officers from Chon Buri and volunteers from the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Pattaya Foundation, attended the scene. The deceased was identified as 64 year old Natthawi Sukkhantharun, also known as “Nat-Mai.” He was a former member of Thailand’s national tennis team in the senior and beach tennis categories, an executive at Pattaya Sport Inter Club, and a coach who trained several prominent Thai players. He was also a close friend of former world-ranked player Paradorn Srichaphan. Officers found him lying face up on a mattress in the bedroom, covered by a blanket, with a wound visible on his left elbow. A kitchen knife was found near the headboard. Knife found in the bedroom | Photo via Pattaya News Relatives in Bangkok had been unable to reach him and asked a groundskeeper at the property for a welfare checkup. The bedroom door was found locked from the inside, and the groundskeeper used a spare key to enter, discovering the body. Thanin Sukkhantharun, 81 year old, the victim’s older brother, travelled from Bangkok to the scene. He said his brother had called him two days earlier to discuss concerns about a former student, a Lao tennis player who had since left training under him. According to the brother and initial reports, the student had shown hostile and dismissive behaviour despite what he described as years of support and care from the victim. He said the family does not yet know whether this is linked to the death. Forensic officers from Chon Buri have sealed off the scene and collected evidence. The body has been sent for a post-mortem examination, and the cause of death has not yet been confirmed. Police plan to trace the former student for questioning as part of the investigation. The story Former Thailand national tennis player found dead in Pattaya as seen on Thaiger News.

On July 27, 2569, the Cabinet approved the appointment and transfer of nine high-ranking officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives. Agriculture Minister Suriya Jungrungruangkit had proposed the appointments based on work dedication, integrity, and competence. The approved appointments include: Vitthaya Kaemmee, former Director-General of the Royal Forest Department and Agricultural Aviation Division, becomes Director-General of the Royal Irrigation Department; Chaiyawat Yothakul, Secretary of the National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards, becomes Director-General of the Livestock Development Department; Suriypol Nuchonong, Director-General of the Irrigation Department, is reassigned as an inspector in the ministry; Naruemol Songwanwong, Deputy Secretary of the Ministry, becomes Director-General of the Sericulture Department; Saranyoo Poollab, Director-General of the Sericulture Department, becomes Director-General of the Royal Forest Department and Agricultural Aviation Division; Thiti Lohapiyanphan, ministry inspector, becomes Deputy Secretary; Pongsai Taiyotin, ministry inspector, becomes Deputy Secretary; Ingon Pannyakij, ministry inspector, becomes Secretary of the National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards; and Thitiporn Laopraserit, Director-General of the Fisheries Department, becomes ministry inspector.

Doctors are warning against dismissing snoring as normal, as it can increase the risk of four chronic diseases and identifying four at-risk groups, most commonly affecting men. Many people mistakenly believe that snoring is merely a nuisance or a sign of sound sleep, but physicians caution that this misconception may lead to missing a diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which not only affects sleep quality but also increases the risk of chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, and cardiovascular disease.

A case example involves Mr. Chen, age 69, who had suffered from loud snoring for a long time, disrupting his spouse's sleep. When he underwent a detailed evaluation, he was found to have moderate sleep apnea with a snoring index as high as 323.9 times per hour.

Almost half of those screened were found to have sleep apnea. The Lian An Preventive Medicine Institute analyzed home sleep test results from 879 individuals between 2019 and 2025 and found that 48% of those tested had sleep apnea, meaning nearly 1 in 2 people have breathing abnormalities during sleep, with more than half of patients at moderate to severe levels.

Long sleep duration does not equal quality sleep. Professor Cheng Nianyuan, director of the Lian An Preventive Medicine Institute, stated that many people mistakenly believe that sleeping for a long time means sufficient rest, but what truly matters is that breathing must be regular during sleep, blood oxygen levels must be adequate, and sleep structure must be intact.

Patients with obstructive sleep apnea experience repeated collapse of the upper airway, resulting in breathing pauses, shallow breathing, and oxygen deficiency. Even if sleeping for a full 8 hours, nighttime sleep disruptions prevent the body from fully recovering. The analysis also found that nearly 70% of those aged 60 and older were diagnosed with sleep apnea, more than 50% of those aged 40 and older were affected, 82% of those with a BMI greater than 24 had moderate to severe sleep apnea, and men had a detection rate as high as 76%. This data reflects that men, the elderly, and those who are overweight are at high risk.

Loud snoring may not be normal. Professor Cheng Nianyuan stated that loud and continuous snoring may signal repeated upper airway collapse during sleep. If accompanied by the following symptoms, one should undergo sleep assessment and not dismiss snoring as merely a noise disturbance: excessive daytime sleepiness, waking up feeling fatigued, high blood pressure, or obesity.

It impacts deep sleep and increases the risk of heart disease and cognitive decline. The study also found that 85% of OSA patients had insufficient deep sleep, and 72.4% had insufficient REM sleep. Deep sleep plays an important role in body repair and immune system regulation, while REM sleep is crucial for memory consolidation and emotional regulation. If both stages decline over time, the risk of cardiovascular disease, metabolic abnormalities, and cognitive impairment may increase.

Data also indicated that among sleep apnea patients, 41.3% had elevated systolic blood pressure, 53.8% had elevated total cholesterol levels, and 55.8% had insulin resistance. This shows that OSA is not merely a sleep disorder but is closely linked to high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, and metabolic diseases. Doctors recommend sleep evaluation screening for those with such symptoms.

The Energy Conservation Fund serves as a crucial mechanism supporting public welfare. Since the latest energy crisis, triggered by Middle East conflicts and the closure of the Hormuz Strait shipping lane, oil prices have surged, directly affecting the cost of living. This has prompted scrutiny of Thailand's domestic oil pricing structure and questions about why the government relies on fuel fund subsidies to manage price pressures, creating long-term debt. A parliamentary budget committee question has gained traction: why citizens must still contribute 5 satang per liter to the energy conservation fund. This reflects widespread public sentiment and represents a major issue the Energy Ministry must address.

Understanding the Oil Pricing Structure: The current collection rate of 5 satang (0.05 baht) per liter is significantly lower than historical rates, which ranged from 7 to 25 satang per liter. The reduction was designed to ease public burden during volatile global oil markets. The accumulated fund balance of over ten million baht may appear idle, but within the government budget system, these are "committed budgets"—funds already approved for multi-year projects such as community clean energy programs and energy efficiency upgrades in hospitals and schools nationwide, disbursed according to actual project milestones rather than idle cash.

Tangible Returns to Citizens: The conservation fund has increasingly shifted toward grassroots implementation. These include subsidizing solar panels and energy-efficient equipment in hundreds of health centers and community hospitals across Thailand, reducing electricity costs by hundreds of millions baht annually and freeing budgets for medicines and medical equipment. Agricultural solar-powered water pumping systems in drought-prone areas reduce farmers' diesel costs. Solar drying systems improve crop quality and reduce losses. Enhanced energy efficiency in agricultural processing factories and community enterprises further increases productivity. State sector improvements in high-efficiency electrical equipment reduce long-term government spending. Transparency and accountability in fund usage remain paramount priorities.