On July 15, Deputy Prime Minister Arkhom Sarnsamak chaired a meeting of the Central Committee for Local Official Examinations (CSTE) at the Department of Local Government Promotion to consider revoking the appointments of 5,000 local civil servants whose exam scores were found to be irregular. When asked by reporters if he felt troubled by the matter, Sarnsamak responded by asking "What would trouble me?" He clarified that authority over such decisions rests with the Central Administrative Committee, but the CSTE is tasked by that committee to conduct the examinations. When issues arise, they must be brought to the CSTE meeting and then referred to the Central Committee for final consideration and resolution, which is expected on July 23.

Before the meeting, CSTE members attended en masse but largely declined to comment. Representatives from the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) and the Central Investigation Bureau also attended as observers. Suchart Krovkitanon, deputy secretary-general of the NACC, explained that he had only recently received an invitation and would act as an observer. He noted that the CSTE would provide information on whether the 5,000 appointments would be revoked, and he will consider whether to include observations from today's meeting in the NACC's own investigation.

When asked whether the NACC would initially recommend revoking all 5,000 appointments, Suchart said the matter requires further review due to ongoing cross-level investigations. He emphasized that the authority to revoke appointments belongs to the CSTE, not the NACC. Regarding additional exam verification, he explained that the CSTE determines which answers were altered, but has not yet shared those results with the NACC. The investigation remains ongoing to identify all involved parties, including both government officials and test-takers. Currently, 22 individuals remain under investigation, with potential expansion depending on findings. The NACC's findings will be forwarded to the fact-finding committee chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Pakorn Nilprapart.

Health Minister Pattana Prom-Phattana assured on July 15, 2569 that burn patients from the Ladprao beer factory fire will receive uninterrupted treatment as the ministry proactively arranges transfers to state hospitals before the 72-hour critical emergency care (UCEP) window closes.

The Health Ministry directed the Medical Department to coordinate with Bangkok public hospitals and private facilities treating the injured to plan patient transfers in advance. Hospital pairings have been established to specify which patients will be sent to which facilities, with most receiving hospitals being state facilities with full capacity to provide comprehensive care. The ministry assured the public that both treatment quality and continuity will not be disrupted.

Medical costs will be covered according to each patient's insurance, health insurance policies, or other available benefits. Those without alternative coverage can use the national health insurance card (gold card) for treatment at state hospitals at no additional cost for necessary care.

When asked whether all patients currently in private hospitals would be transferred to state facilities, the minister said discussions and agreements are finalized. However, transfers require doctors from both the sending and receiving hospitals to assess each patient's safety for transport and the receiving hospital's capacity to manage their care. Patients still in critical condition will be evaluated individually by their treating physicians to ensure maximum safety before any transfer.

A Facebook user named Panomporn Suanboon posted dashcam footage complaining about an employee shuttle bus that cut her off and nearly caused an accident near a PTT gas station in Nakhon Luang District, Ayutthaya, around 7:55 a.m. on July 14, 2026. The post describes how while driving in the left lane at normal speed, the shuttle bus suddenly overtook her vehicle and swerved into her lane without warning, forcing her to brake and swerve left to avoid a collision.

Ms. Panomporn, 31, an English teacher and owner of the dashcam footage, recounted that she was driving from Asia Road onto a parallel street heading to school when she encountered the incident near the PTT station in Baan Koh. A shuttle bus initially ahead of her suddenly accelerated, overtook other vehicles, and cut sharply into her lane, squeezing close to her car. She was forced to steer left to avoid impact, nearly driving off the road shoulder, and honked her horn in alarm.

Ms. Panomporn stated that the incident reflects reckless driving that disregards the safety of other road users, including passengers aboard the shuttle bus. She attempted to call the phone number on the back of the bus to lodge a complaint but received no answer, prompting her to publish the dashcam video. She has called on the company to investigate the facts and discipline its drivers to ensure they comply with traffic laws and prioritize the safety of all road users, as everyone has families waiting at home and no one deserves to suffer an accident due to another person's negligence.

Energy Minister Eknath Phromphanthu announced that the National Energy Policy Committee has approved separating public electricity costs such as street lighting from charges to ordinary consumers and setting them at a new dedicated rate to reduce the electricity burden on the public. The committee also tasked the Energy Regulatory Commission with amending laws and regulations for the electricity development fund to collect revenues from new sources including data center users, direct power purchase agreement holders, savings from reduced renewable energy adders, and community solar projects.

"These funds will be used to reduce public electricity costs and continue lowering residential electricity burdens as part of a stable energy transition toward clean energy, restructuring toward fair competition and just pricing," the minister said. The committee also approved reducing residential electricity rates by implementing a progressive tariff for residential users, with the first 200 units reduced to 3 baht per unit, while units 201-400 and above 401 remain unchanged. By removing public electricity costs from residential bills, all consumption levels benefit from the restructuring.

The committee also expanded the definition of residential electricity users to include rental housing businesses such as rental homes, dormitories, and apartments, as well as homes without house registration currently required to use higher-rate temporary electricity. This helps ease the burden on renters, mostly students and workers. For data centers, the committee approved setting separate electricity rates reflecting true costs of power supply and network expansion investments including imported liquefied natural gas and infrastructure upgrades requiring special reliability, preventing these costs from burdening ordinary consumers.

The Ministry of Culture, through the Department of Cultural Promotion, invites the public, youth, students, teachers, academics, and cultural enthusiasts to view the exhibition celebrating Sirisalpin, National Artists, and National Artists of 2567 BE from July 21–31, 2569, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (extended to 8:00 p.m. on July 22 and 31) at the Thailand Cultural Centre's multipurpose building. Visitors can appreciate valuable artworks and learn about the artists who have created and preserved the nation's cultural heritage.

The exhibition is held to honor the royal patronage of Thailand's founding artists and to pay tribute to the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej as "Supreme Artist" and Queen Sirikit as "Art Protector," both of whom nurtured and preserved Thai arts and culture. The event also aims to widely disseminate the biographies and works of Sirisalpin and National Artists of 2567 BE, celebrating their contributions to Thai cultural development.

The contemporary exhibition design blends technology and creative media to showcase Thai cultural heritage across three main categories: visual arts, literature, and performing arts. Visitors will experience the life stories, inspirations, and distinctive works of honored artists in fields including painting, local architecture, ceramics, literature, Thai music, fusion music, Thai dance, folk songs, film, and television—all reflecting the beauty, diversity, and creative power of Thai culture passed down from past to present.

The Department of Cultural Promotion invites all citizens to visit and celebrate these artists' contributions to the nation, while providing youth and the public an opportunity to appreciate and help preserve Thailand's cultural heritage. Admission is free from July 21–31, 2569, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (extended to 8:00 p.m. on July 22 and 31) at the Thailand Cultural Centre. For more information, contact the Cultural Promotion Fund Division at 0-2247-0013, extensions 1311 or 1320.

PHUKET: Ratsada Mayor Jirayus Songyot has announced legal action against the administrators of Facebook pages accused of publishing false information that he says has damaged his reputation.