The Special Purpose Areas Development Organization (SFTPO) is leveraging cultural capital to elevate city potential toward sustainable tourism. The organization is driving Pattaya's bid to join UNESCO's Creative Cities Network as a City of Film, addressing how local heritage—food, crafts, music, art, and traditional knowledge—can be preserved and create lasting value. The Creative City concept has become integral to the SFTPO's sustainable tourism development work.

Thailand currently has nine cities in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN). The SFTPO actively supports six of them: Sukhothai, Nan, Songkhla, Chiang Rai, Suphan Buri, and Phetchaburi. Recently, the SFTPO director revealed the organization's vision to advance Pattaya toward Film City status by 2027, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Pattaya municipality.

Siripakorn Chiewsamutr, SFTPO director, announced that the organization recently hosted the "Thailand Creative Cities Network: TCCN Forum 2026" in partnership with Bangkok, bringing together 13 creative cities from Thailand and abroad. The forum served as a platform to share development approaches, exchange ideas on creative city development, and showcase how cultural and creative initiatives enhance livability and tourism appeal. The participating cities represented four creative categories: City of Gastronomy (Phuket, Phetchaburi, Songkhla); City of Crafts and Folk Art (Chiang Mai, Sukhothai, Nan); City of Design (Bangkok, Chiang Rai); and City of Music (Suphan Buri). International participants included Berlin and Cebu (Design), Jakarta (Literature), and Isesaki, Japan (Crafts and Folk Art). UNESCO's Creative Cities Network, launched in 2004, works alongside World Heritage designations to promote creative industry development globally.

Update your personal information to stay current.

To not miss news, alerts, and benefits from the Expressway Authority of Thailand.

Phone number: To receive SMS alerts and important updates.

Email: To receive benefits and various news.

Address: For delivery of documents or prizes.

Update your information now. Receive all benefits in one place.

Updating is easy through the website thaieasypass.exat.co.th or the EXAT Portal application. More convenient than before and you won't miss any benefits. Keep up with travel news by following the Expressway Authority of Thailand's page.

Osothasopa Public Company Limited (OSP) reported second-quarter 2025 net profit attributable to the company of 1.1 billion baht, up 8.9% from the same period last year despite facing external challenges. Gross margin reached a historic high of 42.8%, driven by improved production efficiency, efficient cost management and supply chain operations, and strong growth in domestic core business. First-half net profit from normal operations reached 2.257 billion baht, up 14% year-on-year, reflecting strong and sustained profit-generating capability. The company declared an interim dividend of 0.45 baht per share.

Mukda Pairatwetwet, Chief Executive Officer of Osothasopa Public Company Limited, said first-half results reflect the strength of the business and continuously improving profit-generating capability. On an adjusted basis, revenue grew 1.7%, while net profit attributable to the company and ordinary profit grew 20.2% and 42.6% respectively, driven by disciplined cost management, enhanced operational efficiency, and product portfolio management aligned with market opportunities.

"For 2025, the company targets low-to-mid-single-digit revenue growth on an adjusted basis, outpacing Thailand's economic expansion rate. We will drive growth through core brands, innovation, and domestic and international market expansion, while continuously improving operational efficiency to create sustainable long-term growth and shareholder returns," she said.

Key second-quarter 2025 results include: net profit attributable to the company of 1.1 billion baht, up 8.9% despite temporary production constraints in Myanmar; gross margin at historic 42.8% from improved production efficiency following factory consolidation, efficient domestic and international supply chain management, and disciplined cost and promotional activity management; domestic beverage sales up 6.0%, driven by comprehensive brand portfolio management including mainstream, premium, and functional drinks, with M-150, Lipovitan-D, C-Vitt, and Peptein as key drivers; personal care up 8.3% from strength of Babi Mild and expansion of Ultra Mild by Babi Mild, broadening consumer base and future growth opportunities; international business excluding Myanmar up 19.5%, though Myanmar operations still face raw material import license constraints, while other overseas markets continued strong growth, reflecting potential for expansion in high-growth markets; disciplined expense management with SG&A ratio at 22.5% of sales, reflecting ROI-driven marketing and promotional activity management and operational improvements; and interim dividend of 0.45 baht per share, with ex-dividend date set for August 27, 2025, and payment date September 10, 2025, reflecting strong financial position and commitment to sustained shareholder returns.

On August 13, at Suwang Arom Temple in Khun Kaeo subdistrict, Nakhon Chai Si district, Nakhon Pathom province, multiple lottery enthusiasts came to seek blessings from the temple's sacred golden Buddha statue. Wirat, a 40-year-old online delivery driver, had stopped at the temple while making a delivery to a customer and was encouraged by temple staff to ask the Buddha for good fortune. He purchased flowers, incense, and candles, then lit a special auspicious incense stick and prayed for a motorcycle to use for deliveries. When the incense burned completely, the numbers 3-1-9 appeared, which he decided to use as his lottery ticket numbers, purchasing two tickets with those three digits. When the lottery was drawn, he discovered both tickets had won fourth prize, earning him 80,000 baht in total. Grateful for his good fortune, Wirat returned to the temple with offerings of red syrup drink, drinking water, and flowers to make a donation in thanks. He later lit another auspicious incense stick that produced the numbers 9-8-9 and purchased additional lottery tickets with those numbers, hoping for continued luck as he plans to buy a new motorcycle for his delivery business.

Chiang Mai University has donated dust-free classrooms to early childhood development centers to establish clean air free from dust particles and provide a healthy environment for children, creating PM 2.5-safe zones.

Professor Surakiat Satyathai, president of Chiang Mai University Council and acting chair of the Volunteer Foundation for the Times of Hardship under the Thai Red Cross Society, along with foundation representatives, presented dust-free classrooms to two early development centers: On Tai Subdistrict Municipality Early Development Center and Buk Khang Subdistrict Municipality Early Development Center in San Kamphaeng District, Chiang Mai Province.

Associate Professor Praserit Reekgeraigrai, vice rector of Chiang Mai University, led the handover ceremony alongside Chiang Mai University administrators, foundation development officials, officials from the Phrae Energy Research and Development Institute, local government leaders, teachers, students, and community members on Thursday, August 13, 2025.

The Volunteer Foundation for the Times of Hardship under the Thai Red Cross Society and the Surakiat-Sudawan Satyathai Foundation made donations to support Chiang Mai University's Development Foundation and the Phrae Energy Research and Development Institute in operating the Dust-Free Classroom Project. The initiative involves installing air purification equipment and air filtration systems in early development centers across Chiang Mai Province that face haze and PM 2.5 dust pollution, creating clean air environments and safe zones to protect children's health.

On August 14, 2025, a family filed a complaint after their 65-year-old relative, referred to as Cham, died at a hospital. His wife, 54-year-old On-see, brought him to the emergency room around 7 p.m. on August 12 when he developed severe abdominal pain and described feeling a hard mass in his abdomen. After an initial ultrasound, doctors told him they would give him a painkiller and he could go home. However, the family says Cham waited about two hours without receiving the promised injection or a CT scan, and his pain continued to worsen.

Around 10 p.m., Cham's condition deteriorated sharply. His daughter asked staff how much longer they would have to wait, expressing concern he was going into shock. Shortly after, he began seizing, vomiting, turned pale, sweated profusely, and lost consciousness. Staff then rushed him to resuscitation, gave him oxygen, and his blood pressure measured around 200 mmHg. An urgent CT scan was ordered and revealed an abnormality in his abdominal blood vessels requiring immediate surgery. Despite doctors' efforts and assistance from a vascular specialist, Cham's pulse weakened and his heart stopped. Resuscitation attempts failed and he died.

The CT scan showed his abdominal aorta was enlarged and ruptured. His wife and 28-year-old daughter posted on Facebook asking why the CT scan was not done earlier when he was conscious and could describe his symptoms, and why the diagnostic and treatment process took so long. They do not seek compensation but want the hospital to explain the delays and review the case to prevent similar losses in other families. They believe faster and more thorough initial examination might have saved his life.