Thailand's Sports Authority (SAT) has consulted with the Thai Sepak Takraw Association to develop backup plans for the 20th Asian Games, scheduled for September 19 to October 4, 2025, in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. This follows the provisional suspension of five Thai sepak takraw athletes and three coaching staff members by the International Sepak Takraw Federation (ISTAF) after Thailand withdrew from the men's team final at the 2026 World Cup in Malaysia last May.

Dr. Kongsakdi Yotthamat, SAT director, confirmed that the association has the capacity to manage the situation and source capable replacement athletes. "The sepak takraw association has been clear from the start that it will appeal, but regardless of the outcome, we must accept the federation's rules and decision," he said. "We believe these processes won't impact Asian Games preparation. The association can manage this and has skilled athletes ready to step in."

Regarding Thailand's target for the Asian Games, Dr. Kongsakdi reaffirmed that the goal is four gold medals. He expressed confidence that despite potential athlete bans, the association has numerous talented athletes available to fill gaps and maintain Thailand's competitive standard in sepak takraw.

Lampang Hospital is partnering with CP Foods Public Company Limited (CPF) to host the "Every Purchase Is Power to Give" campaign, inviting the public to support quality, clean, and safe food products at special prices. After expenses, all proceeds will go toward repairs and improvements of the Sittiketsem Building from July 1-3, 2026, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Lampang Hospital's waiting area.

The event will be officially opened by Dr. Taweeratch Srikullvongse, Provincial Public Health Officer of Lampang, along with Dr. Worachet Techaruk, Hospital Director, local government officials, and CPF Northern Region Manager Chanchay Channarongse, accompanied by CPF volunteers.

Dr. Taweeratch Srikullvongse stated that developing public health services requires cooperation from all sectors. This campaign demonstrates the power of collaboration between government, private sector, and citizens working together to support hospital development through everyday spending, which will enhance service capacity and provide long-term benefits to the public.

"The Sittiketsem Building is one of the critical facilities supporting patient care. Repairs and improvements will increase safety, convenience, and create a better healing environment," said the hospital director, expressing gratitude to CPF and all parties supporting hospital development to improve patient care quality in Lampang Province and surrounding areas.

The public is invited to participate in the "Every Purchase Is Power to Give" campaign from July 1-3, 2026, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Lampang Hospital's waiting area to support hospital development and enhance patient care quality in Lampang Province.

Actor Bank Sriram has been working at a grueling pace with little rest, drawing worry from his fanbase. He has occasionally experienced moments of mental blur while performing, but remains vigilant and capable of handling unexpected situations on stage. Bank recently attended a press conference for the "2569 Teacher Respect Ceremony of the Srirarm Nampeach Troupe" at Deja Vu the Restaurant in Phu Man King Power Hotel, where he spoke about his demanding schedule. When asked about his sleep, Bank acknowledged that everyone worries about how little he rests. "Everyone is concerned about when I sleep," he said. "I try to sleep so everyone feels at ease, then I wake up and continue working. Rest is really important, especially as I'm getting older." He explained that with multiple performances daily and early morning calls, he sometimes sleeps during travel. Bank confirmed he has experienced moments of disorientation, though not frequently. "There are rare instances where I feel slow, but I'm aware of it and know I need to rest," he said. When asked if he has ever forgotten his lines on stage, Bank admitted it happens occasionally. "Sometimes at any level, people forget their lines, but not often for me. I just suddenly blank out, but I can handle those situations." He described instances where he has smoothly improvised his way through by remembering subsequent verses instead of the one he forgot, allowing performances to continue seamlessly. He praised his fellow performers for their support through such moments and acknowledged the troupe leader's calm demeanor. Bank expressed deep gratitude to fans who traveled from other provinces to see performances and donated funds to support the group. "It's so heartwarming," he said. "Fans come from different provinces to watch us and take that happiness home with them."

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment partnered with the King Prajadhipok's Institute to advance the Coral Conservation Foundation's initiative, launching Upcycling for Life, which transforms ocean waste into patient turnover sheets. On July 2 at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment headquarters, Natural Resources Minister Suchart Chomklin chaired a ceremony presenting raw materials for producing patient turnover sheets under the Upcycling for Life project to the Thai Marine Coral and Biodiversity Conservation Foundation, operating under a strategic cooperation framework for sustainable marine resource and environmental management. Vice Admiral Suwin Jaengyodsuk, Deputy Chair of the Foundation's Board, accepted the materials alongside senior officials including Dr. Raviwan Phuridech, Permanent Secretary of the Natural Resources Ministry; Dr. Pinsak Suratsawadee, Director-General of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources; and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Isara Srivattanawuthi, Secretary-General of the King Prajadhipok's Institute, along with administrators, SEPEM Class 15 students from the Lion Group, and partner agencies.

Dr. Raviwan Phuridech, Permanent Secretary of the Natural Resources Ministry, stated that this project exemplifies converting marine waste into societal value following circular economy principles, transforming PET plastic bottles and discarded ocean materials through knowledge, technology, and innovation into beneficial products for patients and medical personnel. "The patient turnover sheets produced from 100 percent upcycled recycled materials have body-supporting properties, reduce friction, minimize pressure ulcer risks, provide excellent ventilation, offer durability and strength, and reduce caregiver burden when moving patients. This innovation demonstrates that environmental conservation can create tangible improvements to people's quality of life. The sheets will be distributed through provincial public health offices to bedridden patients." The raw materials result from collaboration across sectors, including waste segregation by Natural Resources Ministry staff following Green Office guidelines, beach and rivermouth debris collection from critical ecosystems, and discarded fishing nets from coastal communities. These materials were sent to a waste bank at a school under Tha Kham Subdistrict Municipality in Chachoengsao Province for students to learn about waste segregation and resource value before private companies transform them into patient turnover sheets for medical use.

Dr. Pinsak Suratsawadee, Director-General of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, noted that plastic waste in the ocean poses a significant environmental challenge affecting ecosystems, tourism, and coastal communities. Field investigations revealed many bedridden patients lacking quality medical equipment due to high costs. "Upcycling for Life serves as a model for creating new value from resources deemed worthless, reducing environmental problems while improving patient and caregiver quality of life, reflecting the collaborative power of government, private sector, academia, and civil society in conserving marine resources and advancing national sustainable development," the director-general said.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Isara Srivattanawuthi, Secretary-General of the King Prajadhipok's Institute, praised SEPEM Class 15 Lion Group students and all program staff for continuing the Institute's spirit of extending impact beyond campus.

Bangkok, 2 July 2026 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is reinforcing Thailand’s low-carbon tourism direction through its Carbon Footprint Hotels (CF-Hotels) platform, which has won the Green Leadership category at the Asia Responsible Enterprise Awards (AREA) 2026 in Malaysia.

Mr. Kittipong Prapattong, TAT Deputy Governor for Digitalisation, Research and Development, said, “This award reflects TAT’s role as a system orchestrator for sustainable tourism, connecting digital data, carbon management, market incentives, and green finance in one practical platform. CF-Hotels enables hotels to take measurable action, strengthen competitiveness, and contribute to TAT’s direction in advancing quality tourism that creates long-term value, while supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and aligning with the Paris Agreement.”

Organised by Enterprise Asia, AREA 2026 recognises organisations in Asia for outstanding performance in social and environmental responsibility and sustainable development. The ceremony, held on 26 June, brought together leading regional organisations and key figures in the sustainability sector.

CF-Hotels serves as a practical model for turning sustainability policy into business action. Developed for hotels and accommodation providers across Thailand, the platform helps operators measure, manage, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through a standardised digital system, while linking carbon performance with market opportunities and access to green finance.

The platform gives accommodation businesses, particularly SMEs, free access to internationally aligned tools for greenhouse gas data collection and assessment. It also connects environmental data with green finance opportunities through cooperation with the Bank of Thailand and nine commercial banks under the “Financing the Transition” initiative.

CF-Hotels further supports hotels in moving towards international sustainability standards, including ISO 14064-1 and GSTC-related frameworks. This helps make carbon management more accessible, commercially relevant, and connected to future market access.

Since becoming publicly active in 2024, CF-Hotels has expanded from 21 pilot hotels to more than 900 registered hotel accounts nationwide. Participating properties have recorded greenhouse gas reductions of 16,838.79 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, comparable to planting more than 1,202,770 mature trees. The project has also mobilised more than 29.3 million Baht through the ThaiCI Fund to support low-carbon transition.

The post TAT’s CF-Hotels wins Green Leadership award at AREA 2026 appeared first on TAT Newsroom.

This marks the first time young actor Film Thanaphat Kavilai has taken on a project outside his home studio. He recently appeared in the True Visions series "Ruk" and spoke enthusiastically at the press conference for the series launch at Major Cineplex Sukhumvit about working with the True Visions team and collaborating with fellow cast members Kaew and Chuda.

"I've never done a drama outside Channel One before," Film said. "This is my first outside project, and I'm happy working with True Visions and my co-stars. Everyone is new to me—I've never worked with them before. I appreciate seeing new chemistry and perspectives I haven't encountered before. It's a great experience, and everyone is so kind."

When asked about his father's thoughts on the outside work, Film replied: "My dad approved and is happy about it. My manager is also supportive of me seeking new experiences. The more experience I gain, the more I can apply to my own work. I see this as important for my growth."

Asked about differences between working outside versus inside his home studio, Film explained: "Each studio has its own distinct mood and tone. Working here, I've discovered how other people in the industry think and work differently from my home studio."

When asked what Chuda's set is like, Film laughed: "Chuda's set is filled with laughter. I'm serious—I could swear on it. It's not just Chuda but the entire team. The production staff and other actors—we feel like we're playing with friends. There's constant laughter and smiles. The vibe here is very positive."

On whether the atmosphere feels as warm as home, Film said: "It's a different kind of warmth. This production has a distinct character—there's constant laughter here."

Asked if he had any concerns on set, Film admitted: "My only worry was about Chuda scolding me. Some of my friends working outside their home studios have had bad experiences with some directors, so I was nervous. Being an outsider, I was worried they wouldn't be kind to me. This is my first outside experience, so I was anxious."

Regarding whether he ended up buttering up Chuda, Film smiled and said: "No, I worked seriously."

When asked if he'd worked with other actors before, Film replied: "No, never. I've only worked with one other actress previously—everyone else is new."

On whether three of his co-stars becoming brides means he's hit the jackpot, Film joked: "Yes, they've reached that age."

Asked if he has too, Film answered: "I've reached the age, but I still don't have anyone."

On his attachment to skincare, Film confirmed: "I'm still attached—addicted to cats every day."

When asked if the cat is his own, Film said: "Yes. I feel like I'm not taking life so seriously anymore. It's at a point where I can just let things pass. Whether it happens or not, I'm fine either way. I feel my perspective changes every year as I grow older. Now I'm at a point where I'm happy living at home, playing with my cat, working out, spending time with my mom, and working like this."

Asked if this is a year of change for him, Film said: "You could call it a year of transformation. Everything in my life has changed significantly. Every aspect has changed."

When asked what changed for the better, Film's response was cut off.