On July 30, police reported progress in the case involving the arrest of 28-year-old Ms. Chudatip at Fukuoka Airport after 900 grams of ice was found hidden in her carry-on luggage on July 12. She had traveled with her 28-year-old boyfriend Sarawut and a friend as couriers delivering packages for Thai residents in Japan. Her parents, 53-year-old Thanasak and 45-year-old Kanyavee, filed a report stating their daughter was careless in not inspecting the packages but has no history of drug involvement. They suspect the person who gave her the package may be connected to a larger trafficking network. Police are continuing their investigation, tracking the delivery rider's vehicle through CCTV footage from multiple locations. The National Narcotics Bureau deputy spokesman disclosed that authorities have identified the vehicle's make, model, color, and license plate but are withholding these details to prevent the rider from fleeing. Only one rider was seen in the vehicle with no passengers, though police have not confirmed the rider's gender. The bureau has issued a public call for the rider to come forward and clear their name, but no one has appeared. Authorities note this silence suggests possible involvement in the international drug trafficking network. Once evidence is compiled, police will seek a court warrant for arrest on charges of conspiracy to distribute and export Category 1 narcotics (heroin) without authorization. On July 31, the Thai woman will appear before Japanese prosecutors to learn whether charges will be filed.

PHUKET: Cherng Talay Police have launched a road safety campaign to reduce the number of crashes caused by motorists crossing into opposing lanes, with 500 flexible traffic separators to be installed at four accident-prone locations across the district.

The aunt of suspect Pong, 43, revealed that she last saw him on July 27 around 9 p.m. when he came to her house asking for help fixing electrical wiring. After receiving a phone call, he told her he needed to go to Chanthaburi because his child was sick, and left. That was the last time she saw him, leading her to believe he has fled to Chanthaburi province. She described him as violent and prone to brutality, mentioning he was severely abused by his own father as a child. She appealed to him to turn himself in, warning that if he dies, only rescue workers will be involved. Police have questioned the wife of another suspect, Thang, who claimed she had not seen him since July 27. However, at least five villagers reported hearing Thang cry for help on July 29 in a desperate tone, prompting police to suspect he may have been murdered to silence him. Officers and local administrators are conducting a coordinated search in a dense forest area opposite a Chinese shrine near a temple in Chon Buri, believed to be where Pong may have taken the Russian siblings.

KALASIN — 29 July 2026, The grandmother of Thai travel YouTuber Hlun Solo says she still believes he is alive, despite reports on social media that he has died in Georgia.

The family has not received official confirmation from the Thai consulate or any other authorities, and says it cannot verify reports of Hlun's death.

Speaking at the family home in Kalasin at 21:50, Som Plengsuk said her grandson, whose real name is Borwat Pengsuk, should return home if he hears the appeal.

"I still believe my grandson is alive," she said. "I want everyone and the relevant agencies to help bring him home safely. His family is waiting to welcome him."

She also rejected speculation that, if he had died, it could have been suicide.

"I do not believe that at all," she said. "He was cheerful, friendly and loved by people. He had no enemies or conflicts with anyone."

Som said Hlun had been earning money to repair and build a home for her, adding that this made the suggestion especially difficult to believe. She appealed for divine protection and for him to return home safely.

Pornsawan Muangnikorn, Hlun's aunt, said the family had not seen any evidence confirming that the person reportedly found dead was Hlun.

"There has been no photograph, no information about the condition of the body, no passport — nothing that can confirm it was him," she said.

Hlun's sister, Borlak Plengsuk, said the family had been contacted by pages and individuals following the case, some of whom told them he had died. However, she said no relevant authority had contacted the family or provided a definitive confirmation.

"At this point, we cannot confirm that my younger brother has died," she said. "We do not know what happened, how it happened or under what circumstances. No agency has officially confirmed anything to us."

Dr. Jetsada Bunyavongviroat, deputy director of primary care at Maha Racha Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital, warns that frequent dizziness when changing positions or lightheadedness upon standing may indicate five conditions many people unknowingly have. He urges people not to dismiss these symptoms.

Many people experience darkened vision when getting out of bed or needing to grab a table when standing from a chair, sometimes with heart palpitations, sweating, and near-fainting sensations. While people often assume these episodes pass quickly due to standing too fast, daily occurrences warrant medical attention. Positional dizziness can signal low blood pressure, anemia, heart arrhythmias, or nervous system problems affecting blood pressure regulation.

The five conditions to watch for include: (1) Orthostatic hypotension—blood pressure drops upon standing, causing dark vision, weak legs, or near-fainting because blood hasn't yet reached the brain; (2) Anemia—reduced oxygen delivery to the brain causes dizziness, fatigue, heart palpitations, and pallor; a CBC blood test is recommended before taking iron supplements; (3) Heart arrhythmias—irregular heartbeats may cause intermittent dizziness with rapid or slow heart rates, chest pain, or shortness of breath, requiring ECG or heart rhythm monitoring; (4) Diabetes-related nerve damage—prolonged high blood sugar damages nerves controlling heart rate and blood pressure, causing dizziness upon standing; (5) BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo)—if symptoms involve room spinning rather than darkened vision when turning in bed or moving the head, causing brief intense spinning when the head moves in the same direction, treatable through repositioning exercises rather than blood pressure or fluid remedies.

Until a diagnosis is confirmed, Dr. Jetsada recommends: rising from bed gradually by sitting first before standing; flexing ankles or moving legs before standing to help blood flow; staying hydrated and eating regularly; noting when episodes occur, their duration, and associated symptoms; measuring blood pressure and pulse while lying down and after standing to share with a doctor; and avoiding self-treatment with medication adjustments, salt increases, or blood tonics. Seek emergency care if dizziness accompanies slurred speech, facial drooping, weakness, chest pain, shortness of breath, fainting, or severe headache. For those experiencing repeated positional dizziness, medical evaluation to identify the underlying cause is essential.

TISCO ESU cautioned on July 30 that global stock markets are entering a turning point in the second half of 2024. Technology and AI stocks have tightened as investors increasingly use leveraged positions, raising concerns that market fragility could worsen if the Federal Reserve raises interest rates, hiking financing costs. The firm expects investment capital to gradually shift toward fundamental, robust equities, spotlighting energy and materials sectors.

Senior strategist Thanathat Srisawat of TISCO Economic and Strategy Center revealed that TISCO ESU will emphasize diversifying investments away from crowded trades, particularly the semiconductor industry, which has surged dramatically with elevated valuations and volatility. The firm sees energy and materials as attractive sectors, bolstered by a recovering commodity cycle reflected in significant upward revisions to 2024 earnings-per-share estimates. If sector rotation occurs—drawing capital away from concentrated technology and AI holdings—both energy and materials could benefit substantially.

"Global markets faced volatility in the first half from geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, energy price swings, and major central banks' dramatic policy tightening," Thanathat said. "While markets recovered multiple times, gains concentrated in technology and semiconductors, clearly reflecting rising speculative behavior." TISCO ESU believes markets are shifting from speculation-driven rallies to periods when investors prioritize earnings quality and fundamentals, making this a critical moment for investors to review asset allocation and prepare for new investment flows.

Research assistant Thanachote Phutthanakij of TISCO ESU noted that a key market signal is not merely rising share prices but surging leverage use—margin lending climbing to record or near-record highs in Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and the U.S., all crucial to global semiconductors. Taiwan's margin loans have already exceeded dot-com bubble levels from 2000, signaling intense speculation, while South Korea's borrowing for investment has jumped over 141% since early 2024, reflecting aggressive retail leverage tactics.