Tourist Police arrested a Myanmar national accused of operating an illegal tour business after officers went undercover as Mexican tourists during an operation at Wat Chedi Luang in Muang district, Chiang Mai. The suspect, identified as Saw, 39, was arrested following an investigation by Tourist Police Division 2 under the direction of Pol Maj Gen Olar Iamprapas and Pol Col Phitsanu Triamdee. Police charged the suspect with multiple offences including operating a tour business without a licence, working as a tourist guide without a valid licence, misusing a registered vehicle, working as a foreign national without a work permit, and violating the Foreign Business Act. Following the arrest, the suspect was handed over to investigators at Muang Chiang Mai Police Station for legal proceedings. Tourist Police said they would continue cracking down on unlicensed tour operators and illegal tourist guides to strengthen confidence in Thailand's tourism industry and raise service standards.

By Nopporn Wong-Anan

When Mark Gooding arrived in Thailand in 2020, the country was locked down by COVID-19. Tourist arrivals had collapsed, diplomatic exchanges had slowed to a trickle, and much of his first year was spent studying Thai instead of attending official functions.

Six years later, as the British ambassador prepares to leave Bangkok at the end of July, the relationship between the United Kingdom and Thailand is arguably stronger than at any point during his tenure.

Trade has surged by around 60 percent to £8 billion, Britain and Thailand have upgraded ties to a Strategic Partnership, British tourist arrivals have reached record levels, and the Embassy in Bangkok now runs the UK's largest consular operation anywhere in the world.

In an hour-long interview before taking up his next post as Director for Asia at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Gooding reflected on geopolitics, Brexit, trade, cannabis smuggling, and why Thailand remains one of Britain's closest partners in Asia.

A More Dangerous World

Looking back, Gooding said the biggest change during his six years in Thailand was not confined to Thailand itself but to the international environment.

"The world is more fragmented than at any point in my lifetime," he said, pointing to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, growing geopolitical competition, and increasing pressure on the rules-based international order.

Those developments, he argued, make cooperation between countries like Britain and Thailand more important than ever.

"We have shared interests in international law, multilateral institutions and free trade. These are all under pressure, so it's important that countries like ours work together."

Gooding also noted that both countries have experienced significant political turnover during his posting, with several prime ministers and governments taking office in both Bangkok and London.

Strategic Partnership: More Than Symbolism

One of the biggest diplomatic achievements during Gooding's tenure was elevating UK-Thailand relations to a Strategic Partnership, making Britain Thailand's first such partner in Europe.

While the term may sound like diplomatic jargon, Gooding insisted it has practical significance.

"It's symbolic, because it reflects the importance of the relationship. But much more importantly, it's about what sits underneath it."

That includes closer cooperation on security, cyber issues, science, technology, education, climate change and trade.

Rather than representing the culmination of bilateral relations, he described the agreement as "the beginning" of a framework designed to deepen cooperation for years to come.

Brexit Didn't Change the Relationship

Asked whether Brexit fundamentally altered Britain's relationship with Thailand, Gooding said the answer was no.

The UK's friendship with Thailand stretches back 170 years diplomatically and more than four centuries between the two royal families.

"Fundamentally, the relationship remains one of partnership.

Three former Thai prime ministers from the Shinawatra family made an appearance in Indonesia, where the country's president opened his private residence to welcome them in a warm and cordial atmosphere. The photo has attracted considerable attention and sparked commentary from multiple angles, both critical and supportive.

Thaksin's detractors argue that he continues political activity without backing down, seemingly heading back to old patterns. Supporters, meanwhile, believe Thaksin should leverage his relationship with Indonesian leadership for Thailand's advantage.

According to Indonesia's Antara news agency, President Prabowo Subianto hosted Thaksin Shinawatra, Yingluck Shinawatra, and Phaetongtan Shinawatra at his private residence in Jakarta on July 8. All three former Thai prime ministers attended—a remarkable development.

The Indonesian President's Office stated the meeting was cordial and represented an opportunity to renew long-standing friendship between the two nations. They exchanged views on global conditions and strategic issues to expand international cooperation.

The scope of this meeting involving three former prime ministers suggests meaningful benefits for the nation. It remains to be seen what specific cooperation between Thaksin and Indonesian leadership may emerge.

The news also revealed that the Indonesian president recently appointed Thaksin as an advisor to Danantara, Indonesia's national sovereign wealth fund—the largest in Southeast Asia and closely watched. This demonstrates significant confidence in the former Thai prime minister's economic expertise.

Whether this relationship remains purely private business or represents broader economic cooperation between the two nations remains to be seen.

Since receiving a full pardon, Thaksin appeared during the Bangkok governor election in late June before traveling abroad, reportedly thanking friends in various countries. Now, seeing Thaksin, Yingluck, and Phaetongtan together meet with one of Asia's most influential leaders has become major news.

It is credible that Thaksin has learned harsh lessons and understands he should not trigger political turbulence in Thailand or become a target for lingering enemies. Additionally, with the Pheu Thai Party in the current coalition government maintaining good relations with government leadership, he may be choosing to operate at the international level instead.

At 6:10 p.m. on July 13, 2025, the family of Manirat Bomklang, a 38-year-old woman from Kokkhla subdistrict, Lamphaiyamit district, Buriram province, arrived at the Police Hospital's Institute of Forensic Medicine to collect her remains after she died in a fire at a beer hall in Bangkok's Ladprao area. After authorities completed the identification process, the family prepared to take her body back to Buriram for religious funeral rites. The atmosphere was heavy with grief as relatives waited to receive her remains.

During the wait, the victim's cousins wept intensely throughout, and some family members showed signs of weakness and nearly fainted, prompting officials and relatives present to rush to their aid and provide support. The victim's husband also cried continuously. According to relatives interviewed, the couple had only recently been married and had lived together for less than one month. The family initially declined to grant media interviews, as they were still in shock and unable to come to terms with the loss. They then departed for Buriram with the remains. She was the second victim of the fire whose family collected remains from the institute that day.

Many people wear contact lenses daily for convenience and appearance, but some wear them for over 10 hours continuously—a practice that ophthalmologists warn against. If you experience stringy discharge, severe itching, a foreign body sensation, or lenses that slip easily, you may have Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis (GPC), a chronic inflammation of the inner eyelid that causes numerous bumps in the conjunctiva.

Dr. Chee Oui Tien explains that GPC occurs when prolonged irritation and immune reactions cause normally tiny conjunctival papillae to enlarge beyond 1 millimeter. Under magnification, these grouped papillae resemble gravel or cauliflower. The condition typically results from improper contact lens use: wearing lenses for over 10–12 hours daily, long-term lens use, infrequent cleaning allowing protein buildup, allergic reactions to lens materials or solutions, or irritation from foreign objects like unremoved surgical stitches.

Four warning signs of GPC include: a persistent foreign body sensation unrelieved by artificial tears, unusual itching with frequent blinking, increased stringy mucus discharge especially upon waking, and lenses that shift position or slip upward, causing blurred vision.

The most important treatment is to stop wearing contacts immediately and switch to glasses to allow the inflamed eyelid lining to heal. Doctors may prescribe antihistamine drops and mast cell stabilizers to reduce itching and allergy symptoms, or weak steroid drops for severe inflammation. With proper treatment, patients typically recover well. If you return to contacts, limit wear to 8 hours daily and use daily disposable lenses to reduce protein accumulation and allergic reactions. Avoid rubbing your eyes, as this can worsen symptoms.

At 6 p.m. on July 13, 2026, the Disaster Relief Command Center reported one additional death from the red-case group, raising the total death toll to 28. Updates received at 5:40 p.m. from the forensic office, Police Hospital, and Erawan Center confirmed 10 additional identities, including Police Sergeant Sithichoke Buddhitaksa, Ms. Tattapitcha Seehabunyamak, Mr. Pruttipong Pudmuan, Ms. Chitchanol Chanram, Ms. Ploypailin Tumluang, Ms. Maneerat Boomkhlang, Ms. Suchaowadee Ammathin, Mr. Charan Lerknok, Ms. Viphada Senaunant, and Mr. Nattaphan Thammanita—the latter upgraded from red to black case status.

A total of 25 deaths have been confirmed, comprising 10 males and 15 females. The injured count has decreased to 71. Red-case patients total 25 (12 male, 13 female), yellow-case patients 14 (6 male, 8 female), and green-case patients 32 (14 male, 18 female). All green-case patients have now returned home, while the search for missing persons continues.