Thailand's women's volleyball team will take on Japan in the second match of VNL 2026 Week 3 in Osaka, Japan on July 9, 2026, with free broadcast coverage on MONOMAX SPORTS TV. The competition runs from July 8-12, 2026, and features Thailand competing against four world-class teams: Japan, Turkey, Poland, and the United States. In their opening match, Thailand lost to the United States 0-3 in sets with scores of 21-25, 18-25, and 20-25, allowing the Americans to extend their lead with 3 additional points and maintain their position at the top of the standings with 23 points, while Thailand remains at 9 points in 14th place.

Live broadcast details for Thailand's matches (Bangkok time): - Friday, July 11, 2026 at 1:30 PM: Thailand vs. Brazil (MONOMAX) - Sunday, July 12, 2026 at 1:30 PM: Thailand vs. Turkey (MONOMAX)

Week 3 is considered a critical juncture for all teams, making every match highly significant. Thailand desperately needs points from every game to climb the standings. Thai volleyball fans can support the team live and free via MONOMAX SPORTS TV and the MONOMAX app. Those interested can subscribe to the Sports Basic package for 199 baht per month or 1,599 baht per year to watch all VNL 2026 matches live and on-demand throughout the tournament.

PHUKET: Patong Police have confirmed that a 25-year-old American tourist has been arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport in connection with the alleged assault of a Patong jet-ski operator following a dispute over damage to two rental jet-skis.

On July 9, 2569, Chatchat Sittiphan traveled to the Election Commission office to formally receive his certificate of election as Bangkok Governor, following the commission's official endorsement on July 7. The Bangkok election director personally presented the certification document in a cordial atmosphere, with many Bangkok City Council members gathering for photos with Chatchat.

The Election Commission arranged for all 51 elected officials—including the governor and council members—to collect their certificates in batches from 9:00 a.m. onward on the second floor of the main building.

Chatchat expressed his pleasure at returning to public service and thanked the Election Commission for its swift and efficient work. He confirmed his readiness to begin immediately, noting numerous matters requiring urgent attention.

He outlined his 100-day strategic plan, which will transform approximately 261 projects into clear strategic initiatives with defined progress benchmarks. These initiatives span infrastructure, economic systems, and transparency.

On allegations raised during the campaign—including sexual harassment in government offices—Chatchat said he will monitor all matters comprehensively, including corruption in electrical tunnels, foreign labor issues, and waste management.

When asked about urgent priorities, Chatchat said much had occurred during his absence from office. He emphasized addressing issues causing public suffering: flooding and PM2.5 pollution. He also stressed transparency, resolving underground flooding in tunnels, and managing the Onnuch soft waste facility.

Regarding accusations about appointments and transfers involving bribery, Chatchat firmly denied any wrongdoing, reiterating his previous statements repeatedly.

Chatchat also discussed infrastructure problems in old city areas, particularly electrical construction causing disturbances and potential drainage issues from cutting old water lines. He ordered comprehensive data collection on buildings over 45-50 years old for inspection.

On working relationships with city council members, Chatchat stated cooperation would continue as before, respecting all elected representatives as chosen by the people. He emphasized collaborative work prioritizing public benefit in budget allocation.

Chatchat announced plans to convene city executives this afternoon.

E-cigarettes are now more accessible and sophisticated than ever for Thai children—a simple scroll through social media reveals colorful ads that can be ordered instantly, and daily life exposes youth to secondhand smoke and peers using these products. This escalating crisis prompted the Health Promotion Foundation (สสส.) to team up with the Teachers Network for Smoke-Free Schools and the Foundation for a Smoke-Free Thailand to organize a forum celebrating and sharing knowledge on "advancing smoke-free and e-cigarette-free schools for Thai youth." The event provided teachers and administrators with resources to elevate their schools into safe zones, and honored outstanding workers from across Thailand.

Professor Prakij Vathisathkij, chairman of the Foundation for a Smoke-Free Thailand, emphasized that teachers serve as the critical first line of defense protecting Thai youth from nicotine. With external environments saturated with smoking triggers, strong school safeguards are essential to prevent youth from becoming new smokers. However, the challenge has intensified—we can no longer distinguish between traditional and e-cigarettes, as both pose identical nicotine hazards. Tobacco companies continue developing new products like nicotine pouches targeting Thai children, demanding that educators stay vigilant.

"Though daunting, our collaboration with the Teachers Network has yielded encouraging results," Professor Prakij noted. "Teachers' influence can shift values and reduce smoking rates among peers dramatically—from 40% historically to just 10% today. This empirical evidence proves that teachers and school administrators are the vital mechanism protecting Thai children's futures from these addictive substances."

Critical statistics show e-cigarettes targeting young girls particularly. According to data from Thailand's National Statistics Office for 2025, released by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sanya Benjagul of Mahidol University's Faculty of Public Health, teenage girls are becoming primary victims of e-cigarettes. While traditional cigarette smoking among Thai women has dropped to just 1.3%, e-cigarette use among girls aged 13-15 soars to 15%—ten times higher than conventional smoking.

Tobacco companies deliberately design products to resemble small toys with pastel colors ("Toy Pods"), add sweet flavors, and promote through social media for easy youth access. Additionally, nicotine in e-cigarettes poses severe impacts on reproductive systems and pregnancy for young women in the future. These facts underscore why the Ministry of Education and partner networks must strengthen "smoke-free school" measures to intercept addiction at its source. Long-term research confirms that smoke-free schools serve as critical protective shields for Thai youth.

Thai palaeontologists have named a new long-necked dinosaur species from Kalasin province, adding a 15th formally recognised dinosaur species to Thailand's fossil record and strengthening the country's place on the map of Jurassic dinosaur discoveries.

The new species, Uragasaurus kalasinensis, was announced on 8 July after being published in the journal Scientific Reports by a research team led by Apirut Nilpanapan, Sita Manitkoon, Varavudh Suteethorn and Komsorn Lauprasert.

The fossil was discovered at the Phu Noi fossil site in Din Chi subdistrict, Kham Muang district, Kalasin province, within the Lower Phu Kradung Formation, which the study places in the Upper Jurassic period.

Researchers identified Uragasaurus as a member of Mamenchisauridae, a family of sauropod dinosaurs known for their exceptionally long necks. Sauropods were large, four-legged, herbivorous dinosaurs, and mamenchisaurids include some of the longest-necked animals ever to walk on land.

Uragasaurus is estimated to have measured about 18 to 20 metres in length and was herbivorous. The species was identified from an isolated anterior dorsal vertebra whose anatomical features differed from those of previously known mamenchisaurids, allowing researchers to classify it as a new species.

The discovery is scientifically significant because mamenchisaurid fossils have previously been found mainly in China. The identification of Uragasaurus kalasinensis in northeastern Thailand expands scientists' understanding of where these giant long-necked dinosaurs lived during the Late Jurassic.

The genus name Uragasaurus combines the Sanskrit word uraga, meaning "snake" or "serpent lizard", with the Greek word sauros, meaning "lizard". The species name, kalasinensis, honours Kalasin province, where the fossil was discovered.

The study also identifies Uragasaurus kalasinensis as only the second dinosaur species formally named from the Phu Kradung Formation, underscoring the scientific importance of the Phu Noi fossil site, where thousands of prehistoric fossil specimens have been recovered and many more remain awaiting study.

With the naming of Uragasaurus kalasinensis, Thailand now has 15 officially named dinosaur species, further reinforcing Kalasin's reputation as one of the country's most important palaeontological sites.

At 6:00 AM on July 9, 2025, Deputy Commander Wivatthana Khamchamnai of the Technology Crime Suppression Bureau (TCSD) led a joint operation with officers from multiple agencies including TCSD Region 3, the Cyber Crime Investigation Division, and the Technology Crime Suppression Center (TICAC). Armed with a search warrant from Sakon Nakhon Provincial Criminal Court, they raided a room in Mueang District and arrested Noppol (surname withheld), 23, who held an outstanding arrest warrant for uploading obscene computer files that are publicly accessible and distributing such material knowingly.

Police discovered extensive studio photography equipment in the room. Upon inspecting Noppol's phone, officers found additional videos shot with his current girlfriend, leading them to seize camera memory cards, laptops, and flash drives. Deputy Commander Wivatthana revealed that a female victim had filed reports at Phayathai and Phanat Nikhom police stations. The arrest warrant was issued by the criminal court. The suspect will be transferred to Phayathai Police Station for further legal proceedings.

Initially, the suspect admitted to posting on a TikTok group chat called "middam" with over 100,000 members, though he claimed responsibility for only 2-3 posts. Investigators are questioning other posters to determine if additional victims exist, mostly high school students hired for photo shoots whose images were later used for blackmail. During preliminary investigation, police confirmed the photos and posts existed but the suspect claimed he acted recklessly. His primary income came from photography commissions—mostly shooting secondary students—earning 20,000-30,000 baht monthly. He denied profiting from video sales or other crimes, though authorities are still tracing financial links to gambling websites for possible additional charges.

Police urged parents, especially of teenage girls, to warn children about the dangers of private photos and videos with photographers or kept privately, as content can leak and be misused for extortion or sale—even between former romantic partners.

Ms. B (pseudonym), 19, the suspect's ex-girlfriend and victim in this case, revealed that starting in 2566, she dated the suspect amid constant quarrels, mostly over his infidelity. Around January 2567, her older brother visited his house, making him angry, fearing he would tell his mother about how she was being mistreated. She was unaware her intimate video had been released. Late that night, he messaged her about the leaked clip—content only she and he possessed. When questioned, he denied knowledge, claiming a friend sent it to her. The relationship ended following this incident.