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.

On July 9, 2026, Surapong Intrathaweorn, secretary-general of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), announced that the NACC board had found sufficient evidence of wrongdoing against Rajana Kalpatinant during her tenure as mayor of Ubon Ratchathani Municipality, along with associates. The case involves splitting road construction and improvement projects worth 43.22 million baht in fiscal year 2006 into 26 separate contracts of no more than 2 million baht each, designed to avoid competitive bidding and ensure unfair price competition.

Investigations revealed that during December 2005 to January 2006, Kriang Kalpatinant, then a provincial legislator and Rajana's husband, ordered municipality advisor Veera Vasuthada and engineering department staff to survey and design the road projects and break them into segments with individual project budgets not exceeding 2 million baht. This was intended to circumvent the competitive bidding requirement.

Rajana subsequently approved designs for 26 projects totaling 43.22 million baht and submitted them to the Department of Local Administration in two separate batches in January 2006—first 11 projects (18.71 million baht) and then 15 projects (24.51 million baht)—deliberately separating projects on the same roads to avoid joint submission.

Kriang coordinated budget allocation with the Department of Local Administration and regularly intervened in municipal affairs. Before the budget allocation reached the municipality, Kriang instructed Veera to oversee the bidding process and prepare procurement documents. Once budget allocation was received, the municipality immediately sought approval for sealed-bid procurement.

Kriang and his brother Kan Kalpatinant sought to ensure their company, Ubon Montri Construction Partnership—owned by Kan and his daughter Rattika Kalpatinant—or other companies controlled by their associates would be awarded contracts. They coordinated to distribute projects among their own businesses and allied firms to secure contracts with the municipality. On February 17, 2006, Ubon Ratchathani Municipality received the budget allocation notice.

The Board of Investment has approved Nestlé (Thailand) Limited's request for investment promotion to construct a new coffee manufacturing facility. The factory will produce all types of Nescafé coffee products, including instant coffee, 3-in-1 coffee mix, and canned coffee, with a combined production capacity exceeding 170,000 tons per year to support market growth domestically and regionally. The project includes a large distribution center and has a total investment value of approximately 23 billion baht, located in the Ayutthaya Industrial Estate in Samut Prakan Province, with production expected to begin in late 2028.

This investment expansion resulted from discussions between Deputy Prime Minister Ekniti and BOI Secretary-General Narutte Thadsalee with Nestlé's CEO responsible for Asia-Pacific, Oceania, and Africa operations during the World Economic Forum in Davos earlier this year. The new factory will employ state-of-the-art production technology, automation systems, and AI, creating approximately 520 positions for Thai workers, particularly in engineering, technology, and specialized skilled roles.

The facility will source substantial raw materials from within Thailand, including coffee beans, sugar, and raw milk, valued at over 4.3 billion baht annually, supporting sustainable income for Thai farmers and elevating Thailand's agricultural and food industry. The project will employ over 3,000 Thai personnel and strengthen connections with local communities and domestic supply chains. This investment demonstrates the confidence of a global-level company in Thailand's potential as a regional food and beverage production hub.

Nikil Chahn, Chairman and CEO of Nestlé Indochina, stated that Thailand has been an important market for Nestlé for over 130 years. The investment reflects Nestlé's confidence in Thailand and reaffirms the company's commitment to benefiting Thai society, the economy, communities, and the environment.

The investment project consists of an advanced coffee manufacturing facility and a distribution center supporting multiple Nestlé product categories. It will be equipped with the latest technology and AI to produce high-quality goods and improve operational efficiency for consumer and customer benefit. The new factory will produce Nescafé products using substantial locally-sourced raw materials and supplies, including coffee beans, sugar, and raw milk from Thai farmers, supporting the agricultural sector and economic development.

The Securities and Exchange Commission held an urgent press conference on July 9 to announce findings against Suphaporn Phimphongse, who filed seven share trading reports covering six securities with the SEC. SEC Secretary-General Pronngong Bussratakul explained that the reports, initially filed on June 30 and July 2, 2025, showed transactions dating back to 2021. When the SEC identified irregularities, it flagged the data as "preliminary information" on July 3, then escalated the status to "under accuracy verification" on July 7.

The SEC identified several critical inaccuracies: the reporter was not listed as a shareholder on the record closure dates despite reported acquisitions; reported securities did not actually exist during the specified periods; and reported share numbers did not reflect actual transactions, such as warrant exercise amounts that matched another person's convertible bond exercises.

Additionally, the SEC found that Suphaporn filed Form 59 reports (requiring insider status) despite having no legitimate obligation to do so under securities regulations. The SEC removed all associated data from its public disclosure system. SEC officials stressed that the system maintains rigorous identity verification procedures, requiring registration matching government population database records and OTP confirmation via registered phone numbers. "The SEC remains confident in its filing systems," said Deputy Secretary-General Sucha Bunyapanet, noting that the Form 246-2 reporting system remains fully operational despite circulating rumors of closure.

SME D Bank and TikTok Thailand have signed a second memorandum of understanding (MOU) to advance digital skills development and AI adoption among small and medium enterprises (SMEs) seeking to expand into online markets. Pichit Mitrawong, Managing Director of SME D Bank, and Chanida Klaiphan, Director of Public Policy for Southeast Asia at TikTok Thailand, signed the agreement to continue the "Building Skills and Developing SME Entrepreneurs for the Digital Era" program for an extended three-year period, following their initial partnership signed in 2567 (2024). The initiative was witnessed by Warawut Silpajacha, Minister of Industry, affirming the government's commitment to supporting SME digitalization.

Under this collaboration, both organizations will closely coordinate to provide comprehensive knowledge and expertise in digital business and marketing to SMEs through multiple training formats. These include exclusive workshops, specialized consulting services from TikTok Thailand experts, and 24-hour self-paced e-learning courses covering AI-powered business technology.

SMEs will also gain support in product presentation through content creators, influencers, and specialists in TikTok Shop, affiliate marketing, and live commerce—helping them reach target consumers more effectively and boost revenue streams. Additionally, participating entrepreneurs can access favorable financing at just 3% annual interest—fixed for the first three years—with loan amounts up to 30 million baht to strengthen liquidity and scale their operations for sustainable growth in today's rapidly changing marketplace.