The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has signed letters of intent with five major Chinese partners to boost Chinese tourist arrivals to over 5 million in 2025. TAT Governor Thaopniey Kiatpibul noted that Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul's official visit to China from July 16–20, 2025—in Shanghai, Chengdu, and Beijing—represents a critical opportunity to elevate Thai-Chinese tourism cooperation, restore Chinese traveler confidence, and expand market opportunities for sustainable bilateral travel growth.

On July 18 in Chengdu, TAT held discussions with senior executives from Sichuan Airlines and Meituan to advance travel and tourism collaboration, particularly targeting western China's high-purchasing-power market with rising outbound tourism trends. Talks with Sichuan Airlines focused on strengthening air connectivity, including reopening direct Chengdu–Chiang Mai service and exploring new routes to Hua Hin and U-Tapao airports to distribute travel across Thailand's secondary destinations and enhance convenience for Chinese visitors.

Collaboration with Meituan, a major Chinese digital lifestyle platform, aims to elevate marketing through digital channels, analyze consumer behavior data, and launch the "Thailand National Campaign" under a Two-Way Tourism concept. Additional initiatives include promoting Thai restaurants on the Black Pearl Restaurant Guide and advancing the "Trusted Thailand" program to build confidence in quality and safety among Chinese travelers.

On July 19 in Beijing, TAT signed letters of intent with five leading Chinese partners—China Tourism Group (CTG), Utour Group, China Comfort Group, AMAP, and TCP Red Bull—to jointly promote the "Amazing Thailand" brand via Chinese digital platforms, develop high-quality tourism routes, and apply Smart Tourism technology to attract quality visitors.

Chinese visitor behavior is shifting from group tours to independent travel, empowering digital platforms to influence younger and upper-middle-class travelers' decisions and opening doors for Thailand's emerging and secondary destinations. From January 1 to July 11, 2025, Thailand welcomed approximately 2.8 million Chinese tourists—a 14% increase year-on-year—maintaining China as Thailand's top source market. TAT projects over 5 million Chinese visitors for the full year 2025, generating approximately 288.385 billion baht in tourism revenue.

The collaboration on flight routes, digital marketing, and strategic partnerships is expected to drive recovery and expansion of Thailand's quality Chinese tourism market while supporting long-term tourism economy growth.

Dr. Jetsada Bunyavongvirooj, deputy director of primary care at Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital, has issued a warning about pancreatic cancer, emphasizing it is a disease that catches people off guard because early stages produce virtually no symptoms—no pain, no lumps, and patients often appear perfectly healthy and can eat and work normally. Only when yellowing skin, weight loss, and severe abdominal pain appear has the disease often progressed significantly. In Thailand, thousands of people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer annually, and death rates closely match new cases, not because people neglect their health but because the disease is highly deceptive.

Dr. Jetsada identifies three major risk groups who should act now rather than wait for symptoms: smokers should stop adding to their risk, as tobacco toxins enter the bloodstream and damage the pancreas along with other organs—even light smoking counts; people with belly fat, weight gain, and sedentary lifestyles should not dismiss this as merely cosmetic, as obesity and type 2 diabetes significantly increase pancreatic cancer risk; and people who have suffered alcohol-induced pancreatic inflammation should stop drinking rather than resume old habits, because repeated inflammation causes lasting damage that accumulates into long-term cancer risk. He advises starting with simple changes: reducing sugar and processed foods, adding vegetables and protein, walking after meals, and building muscle two to three times weekly—benefits accrue even before major weight loss occurs.

PHUKET: A 20-year-old hotel intern has filed a police complaint after being assaulted by a head chef inside the kitchen of a hotel in Patong, with the incident captured on security camera footage.

King Power is attracting Thai shoppers with duty-free prices that undercut four major airports—Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Phuket, and Chiang Mai—while offering steep discounts on perfume, cosmetics, skincare, fashion, eyewear, and watches. The promotion runs for two weeks today through July 31, 2025, featuring discounts up to 40% on selected items, free 500-baht coupons, and special Mother's Day gift sets.

At King Power Suvarnabhumi, shoppers receive a free 500-baht discount coupon (redeemable on purchases of 1,000 baht or more) plus up to 40% off hot items from major brands. Additional tiered discounts apply: up to 25% off for purchases of 5,000 baht and above, and up to 30% for 8,000 baht or more, with POWER PASS members earning an extra 5% off.

Don Mueang offers up to 30% off select perfume and skincare brands plus 5% additional discount. Tiered savings include 20% for 3,000-baht purchases, 25% for 5,000 baht, and 30% for 8,000 baht or more, again with 5% extra for POWER PASS members.

Phuket provides an immediate 800-baht discount on purchases of 4,000 baht or more. Chiang Mai offers 500 baht off for 5,000-baht purchases and 1,000 baht off for 8,000 baht or more.

POWER PASS members shopping fashion, eyewear, and watches at Suvarnabhumi receive coupons up to 30% off (two coupons available with no minimum purchase); at Don Mueang, 30% off on a single item; and at Phuket, up to 10% plus 5% additional with a 5,000-baht minimum.

New members signing up for POWER PASS immediately receive four discount coupons worth up to 30% each across participating departments and branches.

Two special Mother's Day gift sets are now available for pre-order. The "Premium Basket for Mom" (2,799 baht) includes a Jim Thompson canvas pouch, Donna Chang Wild Rose perfume, and a sakura-scented reed diffuser. The "JOURNAL Soft Embrace Duo" (999 baht) contains body mist, body oil, and sunscreen in two signature fragrances: First Love and The Legacy. Orders can be placed at King Power branches, via the app, or through GrabMart and LINE MAN.

NONTHABURI — Three people were killed after a BMW allegedly driven by an intoxicated motorist crashed head-on into a tuk-tuk inside a housing estate in Bang Bua Thong district early Monday, police said.

The crash occurred at about 04:10 near Soi 12 in a residential estate in Sano Loi subdistrict. Police, rescue workers and a duty forensic doctor responded to the scene.

Two victims were pronounced dead at the scene: 82-year-old Lamai and the tuk-tuk driver, 37-year-old Prathumporn. Another passenger, 77-year-old Phattra, underwent CPR for about 30 minutes but was later pronounced dead at a hospital, bringing the death toll to three.

The tuk-tuk overturned and sustained severe front-end damage, while the black BMW came to rest after crashing into a tree. The 31-year-old BMW driver remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators.

Relatives said the two elderly women regularly hired the same tuk-tuk to travel to Bang Bua Thong Market to sell goods.

The BMW driver told police he had been driving from the entrance of the housing estate and did not see the tuk-tuk before the collision.

A breathalyser test found his blood alcohol level at 152 mg per 100 ml of blood, more than three times Thailand's legal limit of 50 mg per 100 ml.

Police said preliminary findings indicate the tuk-tuk was emerging from Soi 12 as the BMW approached at high speed, resulting in a violent head-on collision.

Investigators are reviewing CCTV footage from the area to determine the circumstances of the crash. The BMW driver has been taken into custody and will face legal proceedings.

The victims' bodies have been sent to the Institute of Forensic Science for autopsy.

A 65-year-old vendor who owns two motorcycles is confused after being denied the state welfare card because he was listed as owning two cars instead. On July 20, 2025, the Finance Ministry released eligibility results for the 2025 state welfare card program, which can be verified through the program website, Pao Tang app, government app, and five participating banks. Those rejected can request a rights review by July 31, 2025, then contact verification units to correct their information by August 16, 2025, before entering a second screening round. Results of the appeal will be announced September 21, 2025, across the same channels, with eligible applicants able to use their benefits starting October 1, 2025. Reporters visited Krung Thai Bank in Chai Nat where more than 30 elderly citizens had lined up since 5 a.m. to request rights reviews, concerned about losing their welfare card benefits. Somchai, 65, a frozen dessert vendor with a sidecar motorcycle, said he previously received the card but was now rejected because the system showed him owning two cars. In reality he has two motorcycles—four wheels total—but the system lists eight wheels, though he has never bought a car and cannot even drive one. He relies on the welfare card money to buy goods for resale and expand his business, so losing it would hit hard during these difficult economic times.