The Permanent Secretary of the Department of Consular Affairs attended a ceremony to receive and pay respects to three Thai sailors who died following an attack on the Thai cargo ship Muyuri Nari in the Strait of Hormuz on March 11, 2025.

On July 3, 2025, Mangkorn Prathumkaew, Permanent Secretary of the Department of Consular Affairs, represented the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the ceremony to receive and honor Phanupong Munthan, Kiartisak Pawaphucha, and Challit Chaiwong, three Thai crew members aboard the Thai-flagged cargo ship Muyuri Nari, which was attacked while transiting the Strait of Hormuz on March 11, 2025.

The secretary laid wreaths as a sign of condolence along with executives from Precious Shipping, the vessel's owner, at Suvarnabhumi Airport, before the bodies were returned to the hometowns of the deceased for their families to conduct religious ceremonies.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through the Thai Embassy in Tehran and the Department of Consular Affairs, coordinated and facilitated all relevant procedures to repatriate the three Thai sailors from Iran to Thailand throughout the process. The Ministry extends its thanks to the governments of Oman and Iran for their excellent cooperation.

Prachuap Khiri Khan is advancing a major tourism economy initiative as two ministers visited the area to consult with business operators on July 3, 2025, at Holiday Inn in Hua Hin District. Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Panjchareonvorkul and Deputy Transport Minister Pattrapong Pattrasitthikul led consultations with hotel business operators in Hua Hin and Cha-am districts to develop a strategic plan for upgrading Hua Hin Airport to accommodate new flight routes.

Air Asia CEO Pairachpol Pornpattananangkur organized the consultation, dividing business operators into four groups to identify which airlines should launch direct service to Hua Hin after the airport renovation completes by year-end 2025. The proposals focused on four key markets: Group 1 (Taipei, Taiwan) targeting Chinese and Taiwanese tourists with purchasing power; Group 2 (Shanghai, China) focusing on large family tourism; Group 3 (Singapore) leveraging existing customer base familiarity with Hua Hin; and Group 4 (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) attracting regional tourists and serving as a regional hub.

Minister Surasak stated the ministry will immediately compile the brainstorming results into a strategic tourism plan ready for implementation when the airport opens fully. Deputy Minister Pattrapong pledged government support to rapidly implement airline proposals and policy initiatives, emphasizing that Hua Hin serves as a critical gateway for transportation and commerce linking Thailand's southern region.

The Royal Gazette website published a House of Representatives announcement promoting the next candidate on a political party's list to replace a vacant seat. According to the Election Commission's announcement on March 4, 2026, Prasert Chantarwangtong from the For Thai Party's 5th position list had been elected as a House member. However, Prasert submitted his resignation from the position effective July 1, 2026, ending his membership under Section 101(3) of the 2017 Thai Constitution. Under Section 105(2) of the constitution, Chakraphop Penyaek, the next candidate on the For Thai Party list, has been promoted to fill the vacant House seat. The announcement was made on July 2, 2026. According to reports, Chakraphop was the 17th list candidate to advance to the House position, following several For Thai party representatives who stepped down after receiving ministerial positions.

Two 15-year-old first-year vocational college students riding home on a motorcycle crashed into a parked pickup truck, were thrown onto the road, and died at the scene. Their classmates insist the victims were good, well-behaved students. Witnesses reported seeing two teenagers on motorcycles chasing them before the vehicle lost control.

At 3:30 p.m. on July 3, 2025, police in Uthai District, Ayutthaya Province responded to a motorcycle collision with a parked pickup truck on Rojana Road near Uthai intersection at kilometer 13 in Kan Ham Subdistrict. Two people were killed. At the scene, police found two 15-year-old vocational students from the provincial technical college, both from Bang Pa-In District, Ayutthaya Province, dead in the middle of the road. A red Honda PCX motorcycle lay damaged nearby, and a knife with a sheath was found at the scene. The parked pickup truck sustained damage to its right side, including a broken side mirror and a punctured right tire.

A good Samaritan who was driving behind the victims' motorcycle reported seeing two riders on another motorcycle chasing them in what appeared to be a high-speed pursuit. The victim's motorcycle swerved left, lost control, and struck the parked truck, throwing both riders onto the road. The pursuing motorcycle immediately fled the scene.

Another witness corroborated the account, stating they had been stopped at a red light when they saw the victims' motorcycle run the red light while being followed by a white Honda PCX motorcycle with two riders. The rear passenger appeared to be recording the victims' motorcycle on a phone. After witnessing the fatal crash, the witness provided information to police.

A classmate revealed that the victims normally rode home together, but on this day only one was riding. The student noted that their group had been chased and targeted by another group of teenagers on three previous occasions but had never been injured. The classmate firmly stated the victims were good kids, not troublemakers.

Initially, police reviewed CCTV footage showing another motorcycle traveling alongside the victims' bike, consistent with multiple witness accounts. Investigators are focusing on whether a high-speed chase actually occurred before the crash. Police in Uthai District are actively tracking the riders of the other motorcycle for questioning to clarify the facts and pursue legal action.

Seven monks are being honored at Baan Nam Khun temple in Nam Khun district, Ubon Ratchathani province, following a deadly collision in Maha Sarakham province. An 11-year-old boy stole his father's pickup truck and drove it into a Buddhist procession, resulting in 10 deaths and 10 injuries. On May 3, 2026, officials transferred the remains of seven deceased monks to the temple for merit-making ceremonies, with provincial Buddhist leaders guiding the procession according to each monk's seniority.

Oey Seangsit, a renowned singer and son of Phra Bhikkhu Rochat Thongburan, one of the deceased monks, shared that his last conversation with his father was about sound mixing, as his father enjoyed delivering sermons to relatives. He expressed deep sorrow, saying he cannot bear to watch accident footage that has circulated online and has cried until tears no longer come.

The seven deceased monks are: 1) Phra Bhikkhu Yothin Vannasuree (Nam Khun, Ubon Ratchathani), 2) Phra Bhikkhu Rochat Thongburan (Nam Khun, Ubon Ratchathani), 3) Phra Bhikkhu Nikkhom Angkhap (Chumphon), 4) Phra Bhikkhu Sakda Sila (Nam Khun, Ubon Ratchathani), 5) Phra Bhikkhu Samuay Rawang (Nam Khun, Ubon Ratchathani), 6) Phra Bhikkhu Chaisoarn Nanthasingh (Nam Khun, Ubon Ratchathani), and 7) Phra Bhikkhu Sakorn Klangsungnern (Nam Khun, Ubon Ratchathani).

Buddhist monks have already performed funeral rites. Royal water blessing ceremonies are scheduled for May 4 at 4 p.m., with the Ubon Ratchathani provincial governor presiding.

Actor Natt Kijjirut has defended the Netflix series "Devil's Lawyer" against allegations that it damages Thailand's fishing industry reputation, insisting the show serves as a voice for important social issues. The Thai Fisheries Association had issued a warning to fishing vessel owners, operators, and port authorities across coastal provinces to be cautious about allowing film productions that might portray illegal labor practices, drug trafficking, and forced labor in Thai fishing operations. Concerns arose because the series is distributed on Netflix, a globally watched platform, and officials worried it could create misconceptions and harm the industry's image.

When asked if he was shocked by the controversy, Natt responded: "I apologize if it upset the Fisheries Department, but I'm not shocked because we anticipated this during filming. The answer is in the content itself. Ultimately, we didn't do anything wrong. Anyone who watches the series will understand what the fishing characters' intentions are. If you watch carefully, there's nothing damaging about it. We actually became a voice for what the series stands for."

Regarding potential backlash from the industry affecting future productions, Natt expressed confidence in Thai society: "I believe in our society more. I trust that viewers and people in various industries with concerns are ready. Everyone knows that a film's function is to reflect whatever exists in society—real or imagined. Films are entertainment. There are more important things than film. We know what our intentions are."

Natt praised Thai filmmakers and the current wave of Thai content taking on difficult stories: "I admire Thai filmmakers. I admire what we managed to do with Devil's Lawyer. I admire this year's wave of Thai content where we can tell harder stories. I admire investors who are more open-minded and the audience's movement toward defending correct issues. Society is more ready than some people might think."