On July 14, 2025, Labor Minister Julphand Amornvivat revealed that the Cabinet has approved new guidelines for calculating old-age pensions under the CARE (Career Average Revalued Earnings) formula. This initiative aims to create a pension system that genuinely reflects lifetime earnings, ensures fairness, and reduces inequality among workers.

The CARE formula's key innovation is replacing the calculation basis from the average wage of the final 60 months before retirement to an average across the entire contribution period. Past wages will be revalued to current monetary levels before calculation, ensuring pensions reflect true lifetime income and reducing disparities caused by income changes near retirement.

The reform also expands benefits in several ways. Workers who contributed for fewer than 12 months—previously entitled only to their own contributions—will now receive old-age benefits including employer contributions and returns, under the same criteria as those contributing 12 months or longer. For contributors exceeding 180 months, the increase rate changes from 1.5 percent per 12-month period to 0.125 percent per actual month contributed, eliminating month rounding and ensuring benefits match actual contribution periods.

The Labor Ministry has established a five-year transitional support measure for those nearing retirement whose new formula benefits fall short of the old formula. They will receive declining compensation: 100 percent in year one, decreasing by 20 percent annually until year five. Current retirees whose recalculated benefits increase will receive immediate pension adjustments in the next payment cycle. Those whose benefits would decrease will continue receiving the original pension amount for life, protecting existing beneficiaries.

Next steps involve submitting the draft regulation to the Office of the Council of State for review and publication in the Royal Gazette, effective 180 days after publication. The Labor Ministry expects this reform to be a major step toward ensuring stable, fair, and sustainable post-retirement income security for all workers.

The roundup features detailed descriptions of three notable Buddhist amulets. Luang Pu Nil's 72-year-anniversary coin, cast around 1973, is an oval-shaped dark copper medallion featuring his half-length image and a four-sided yantra, with approximately 10,000 pieces produced. Luang Por Kluab's 1996 coin, created by the Uthai Thani Lions Club, is a flattened spherical design featuring his half-length image in yellow robes with colored glazing on the reverse in red, blue, green, sky blue, and purple. Luang Pu Solos's nine-sided diamond-shaped amulet from 2005 is a dark copper design with a loop, featuring his half-length image and his personal yantra, limited to 500 pieces and cast with fine craftsmanship.

Phra Kru Nikrom Dhammaraks, known as Luang Pho Sai Tissaro, was the former abbot of Wat Chong Lom in Uttaradit province and a renowned Buddhist teacher. Beyond managing and developing the temple, he led community development initiatives and provided assistance to those in need while maintaining a strict commitment to teaching virtue and the Buddhist path. Whatever he undertook received the wholehearted cooperation of the community, ensuring success.

Born on Sunday, February 11, 1893, as Sai Thiphayavong, the fifth child of Khun Nikrom Raksak and Nang Thaen Thiphayavong in Ban Hong Hia, Hat Ngiao subdistrict, Uttaradit, he came from a family of seven children. In his youth, he was handsome, dignified, tall and refined with clear complexion, good character, peaceful in manner, and always showed compassion to others.

Before ordination, he studied under Luang Pho Hob at Wat Samakkhi Yaram and became proficient in Thai and Khmer languages, which he applied effectively to Buddhist scholarship. After leaving the temple temporarily to support his parents through farming, he ordained as a novice at age sixteen under Phra Athikan Kong, the abbot of Wat Chong Lom, on May 7, 1909.

At age twenty, he received full ordination at Wat Chong Lom on May 8, 1913, receiving the monastic name Tissaro. He devoted himself to monastic discipline and studied under his preceptor at Wat Kumphir Thong for four years before moving to practice at other temples including Wat Doi Kaew and Wat Hat Ngiao, where he studied extensively with Luang Pho Hob. Later, he transferred to Wat Chong Lom.

Phra Kru Wichian Panya Mahamuni, the provincial ecclesiastical chief of Uttaradit and abbot of Wat Tha Thanon at that time, recognized his virtues and appointed him abbot of Wat Chong Lom on February 1, 1919. As abbot, he devoted himself to constructing and renovating temple buildings and facilities, including the sermon hall, ordination hall, chedi enshrining Buddha relics, temple walls, and two schools—the Buddhist studies school and Wat Chong Lom municipal school. He also oversaw renovations at Wat Hat Ngiao, Wat Samakkhi Yaram, and Wat Doi Tha Sao.

In 1941, as Thailand entered the Indochina War and World War II, local residents sought protective amulets and religious objects. He commissioned the creation of clay amulets mixed with herbal materials and consecrated them with Buddhist chants believed to reflect harmful intentions back to their source. Funds from donations to these amulets were used to fund temple construction and renovation. He crafted blessed objects known for their powerful effects, evident to disciples and laypeople alike, even attracting devotion from followers of other faiths who wore his amulets and talismans.

He was compassionate and impartial, with a broad heart and gentle speech. He passed away peacefully on October 17, 1948.

Pompam, performing in top form, delivered her latest stand-up comedy show "Growing Old with Shine" to enthusiastic audiences across two packed performances. Following the strong reception of last year's "Birth, Aging, Sickness, and Old Age" show, she expanded the series into a second year with this new installment at the Sirikitti National Convention Center's ballroom, both afternoon and evening sessions filled with entertainment industry peers including Opal Panisara, Pookie Weenuch, Tey Jariumporn, Ja Yassini, and many others.

The two-and-a-half-hour show packed the daily life experiences of the 45-year-old comedian, touching on everything from her humorous baking lessons and pursuing a master's degree at her age to debating whether grilled pork is personal or communal property. She explored generational gaps, adapting to life's disappointments, and recounted her romantic history with wit and honesty, delivering sharp humor mixed with heartfelt reflections. Guest performers Dance Nararaksorn and Nath Sakdathorn performed during the afternoon and evening shows respectively, adding to the high-energy atmosphere.

Closing her show with a life lesson about happiness—"You don't need to chase joy, just learn to see it"—Pompam left audiences uplifted and reflective, having delivered a performance full of laughs, heart, and genuine connection.

The new Honda City launch has generated significant excitement with its refined, sporty styling that appeals to many customers. The Honda City was originally developed specifically for the Thai market, with the first generation launching in 1996 and now marking its 30th anniversary.

To demonstrate the driving capabilities of the new model, Honda's marketing and public relations team organized a test drive event from Krabi to Phuket, featuring all available variants including sedans and hatchbacks powered by petrol, turbo, and hybrid e:HEV engines. Testers first sampled the top-tier Honda City e:HEV RS model before moving on to test the turbocharged S model, the entry-level hatchback variant.

Key design updates include a new black grille, redesigned front bumper, LED headlights with connecting daytime running lights spanning the full width of the vehicle, and modern clear-lens LED taillights. The 2D H-Mark logo has also been refreshed. All trim levels come equipped with Honda SENSING safety features, including collision warning with brake assist, lane-keeping assist, lane departure warning and control, adaptive high-beam assist, and forward vehicle movement detection.

Despite its compact dimensions, the cabin feels spacious with adequate headroom and legroom. The air vents are vertically split between left and right, with USB Type-C charging ports. The suspension delivers a smooth ride over bumps and rough roads, with minimal body roll during cornering.

The entry-level S hatchback features simple interior styling with an 8-inch touchscreen integrated into the dashboard and analog gauges for speed and RPM. The steering wheel and shift lever use polyurethane material, manual air conditioning, fabric seats, and a manual handbrake provide easy operation and maintenance.

The 1.0-liter DOHC VTEC turbo three-cylinder 12-valve petrol engine delivers 122 horsepower at 5,500 RPM and 173 Newton-meters of torque between 2,000 and 4,500 RPM, providing responsive acceleration. The chassis is firm and stable at high speeds with minimal vibration. Sport mode increases engine responsiveness with sharper acceleration, tighter cornering capability, and a more responsive steering feel, enhancing the overall driving enjoyment.

Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Punthacharoenkulkul revealed on July 14, 2025, at Government House that the Cabinet approved a plan to reorganize and separate government agencies as proposed by the Civil Service Development Committee (CSDC). He noted staffing challenges ahead: in October, two deputy secretaries and two level-10 inspectors at the ministry will retire, leaving virtually no level-10 officials in the secretariat except the permanent secretary alone—a heavy workload. The Prime Minister expressed flexibility to allow additional appointments if necessary.

The restructuring plan, after Cabinet approval, must be sent to the House of Representatives for three rounds of voting and must pass the Senate. The timeline remains uncertain, but officials hope for completion by year-end or early next year to ensure smooth operations without disruption, pending a decision to defer senior civil service appointments.

Under the plan, the Sports Ministry will contain the Deputy Secretary's Office (merged), the Department of Physical Education, the Thailand Sports Commission, and the National Sports University. The Department of Tourism, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), and Tourist Police will move into a new Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Government Spokesperson Ratchada Thanadirek announced that the Cabinet approved the draft Reorganization Act affecting the Culture Ministry and Tourism-Sports Ministry as proposed by the CSDC. The restructuring creates a Ministry of Culture and Tourism (abolishing the separate Culture Ministry) to unify cultural and tourism operations under a single department with roles in religion, arts, culture promotion, and creative tourism industry development. Under this ministry: the Minister's Office, Permanent Secretary's Office, Department of Tourism, Department of Religious Affairs, Fine Arts Department, Culture Promotion Department, and Contemporary Art and Culture Office.

A separate Sports Ministry (replacing the Tourism-Sports Ministry) will oversee physical education, sports at all levels (grassroots, mass participation, elite, professional), recreation, education, research, sports science, innovation, technology, management, and sports industry development. Its departments include the Minister's Office, Permanent Secretary's Office, and Department of Physical Education.

Ratchada noted this aligns with the government's policy statement to parliament on April 9 regarding tourism and culture as economic drivers. Tourism generates economic value and directly connects to culture, traditions, local wisdom, and regional identity. Merging culture and tourism functions in one ministry will enable synergy.