Srinakharinwirot University has identified one staff member involved in alleged irregularities in a civil service recruitment exam and has established a formal disciplinary investigation committee. In its third statement released on July 17, the university provided an update on its fact-finding inquiry into allegations concerning an examination process for recruiting civil servants and local government officials under the Department of Local Administration. After completing its preliminary investigation, the university found sufficient evidence and documentation to pursue disciplinary action against one Srinakharinwirot University staff member and has now appointed a serious disciplinary inquiry committee to proceed with the next steps. The university explained that establishing a serious disciplinary committee is a legal process designed to thoroughly gather evidence and allow the accused to exercise their right to present a full defense and evidence. The commencement of this formal investigation does not constitute a finding of guilt until the committee completes its work and the university issues a final official order. The university acknowledged that the incident has damaged public confidence and the institution's reputation, and has therefore expedited the fact-finding process from the outset while ensuring disciplinary procedures are conducted carefully and fairly. The university pledged full cooperation with all state agencies to establish the facts and ensure accountability under law. Srinakharinwirot University stated it will not tolerate behavior affecting institutional integrity regardless of the person involved, and if the investigation confirms wrongdoing, it will apply the law and regulations strictly without exception, prioritizing the public interest.

A new lottery winner from Chachoengsao, Mr. Tawan, has received 12 million baht in cash after winning the first prize in the Government Lottery Plus draw held on July 16. The winning number was 639214. Nott Panthawat Nakhavissuth led a team from Lottery Plus to deliver the 12 million baht directly to Mr. Tawan's home in Chachoengsao, where he was greeted warmly by residents. Nott presented the cash in a suitcase and laid it out in stacks to verify the amount, then asked Mr. Tawan how he felt. Mr. Tawan expressed great joy, saying he had hoped to win at least 10 tickets. He recalled that when Nott called him, he was working on a drone sprayer and recognized the caller's voice. He immediately checked his lottery app and confirmed he had won first prize. Mr. Tawan mentioned he frequently buys tickets from Lottery Plus and also won a two-digit consolation prize, bringing his total winnings to 12,002,000 baht. When asked what numbers he would buy next, he replied that he likes the number sequence from his car license plate, 557.

At 10:00 a.m. on July 17, 2569, Police Major General Kiatikul Sandinetr, commander of Sub-Division 2, ordered Police Captain Marut Sudnongbua, superintendent of Phahon Yothin Police Station, and an investigative team from Sub-Division 2 to join electrical authority officials in inspecting the brewery located on Ladprao Road, Chomphon subdistrict, Chatuchak district, Bangkok—the site of a fire that occurred on July 13. Investigators sought to examine the electrical panel at the scene and gather additional evidence regarding the brewery's original 30/100-amp electrical permit. The establishment later increased its power usage and requested a capacity upgrade, but when electricity officials arrived to conduct an inspection, the shop declined, claiming it was not ready. Whether the unauthorized electrical modifications and subsequent overload caused a short circuit that triggered the fire remains under investigation and will be determined once electrical authority evidence is reviewed at the next meeting.

Bangkok residents and visitors are invited to enjoy free performances of traditional Thai dance, music and khon masked theatre at Lumphini Park this weekend as part of the city's "Thai Arts in the Garden" programme. The event, titled "Sin Thai Nai Phrueksa" (Thai Arts in the Garden), will take place on 18 July at Lumphini Hall in Lumphini Park. Visitors will be able to enjoy traditional Thai performing arts in the park's surroundings, with highlights including khon and classical Thai dance performances by young performers from the Wat Chaipruekmala Recreation Centre, alongside music by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's Music Division Piphat Ensemble. Performances will run from 17:00 to 19:00, while the venue will open to the public from 16:00 to allow visitors to reserve seats in advance. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has invited residents and tourists to spend the weekend with family and friends while experiencing Thailand's cultural heritage through live performances in the heart of the capital. Admission is free.

BANGKOK — 17 July 2026, Thai science creator "Pol" Nawapol Chuamvarasart, better known as SaySci, has made history by becoming the first Thai creator to receive honours at the 30th Webby Awards after winning two awards in the Social Content Series – Education & Science category for his content series "Internet, but Science."

SaySci won both major awards in the Social Content Series – Education & Science category and also received Webby Honoree recognition in the Creator – Education, Science & Technology category.

Established in 1996, the Webby Awards have been dubbed the "Internet's highest honour" and the "Oscars of the Internet" by The New York Times. They are widely regarded as one of the world's most prestigious awards for digital content, recognising excellence in websites, apps, social media, podcasts, videos and other online media.

This year saw more than 13,000 entries submitted from over 70 countries, with only about 4% of all submissions receiving recognition. Winners in other categories included global organisations and brands such as NASA, Google, National Geographic Society and Claude AI, as well as projects involving LISA of BLACKPINK and Justin Bieber.

The Webby Winner is selected by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS), while the People's Voice Winner is determined through public voting. Organisers said more than 940,000 people cast over 4.6 million votes this year.

The work that propelled SaySci to the awards is "Internet, but Science," a series that explains internet memes, viral trends, games, news and pop culture through scientific principles, transforming online entertainment into accessible educational content that connects directly with everyday life.

In keeping with the Webby Awards tradition of limiting acceptance speeches to just five words, SaySci chose to say: "Six Seven? Skibidi? Brainrot? …Science!" The phrase reflected the concept behind his work, which bridges internet culture and science.

However, Nawapol revealed that despite receiving a world-class award, the achievement did not attract as much attention in Thailand as he had hoped. He said he had sent press releases to several media organisations and sought sponsorship to travel to New York City to accept the award, but was unable to secure funding in time and therefore missed the opportunity to attend the ceremony in person.

He said he was not trying to complain but hoped his experience would encourage Thai society to place greater value on Thai creators and provide more support for talented people across a wide range of fields, including science, sport, the arts and education.

Nawapol also emphasised that Thailand has many talented science communicators and expressed hope that his success would inspire more Thai creators to showcase their work internationally while continuing to produce engaging, accessible and easy-to-understand science content for the public.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) opened a public hearing on July 17, 2026, on draft regulations to upgrade standards for major shareholders of securities firms, derivatives traders, and digital asset businesses, aiming to ensure major shareholders meet appropriate qualifications and boost confidence in Thailand's capital market. The SEC previously refined principles regarding prohibitions for business operators and conducted consultations from April to May 2026, with most stakeholders supporting the proposed framework. The SEC has now prepared three draft announcements with key points including: (1) standardizing major shareholder prohibitions across all business types to address current risks, such as expanding the scope of money laundering violations and financial support for terrorism and weapons proliferation both domestically and internationally, while covering cross-sector risks under SEC oversight; (2) establishing uniform standards for assessing the severity of major shareholder conduct across all business types; and (3) providing a 90-day transition period from the announcement's effective date for businesses and major shareholders to prepare for compliance. Stakeholders and interested parties may submit comments via the SEC website (https://www.sec.or.th/TH/Pages/PB_Detail.aspx?SECID=1189) or the central legal system (https://law.go.th/listeningDetail?survey_id=NzY3MERHQV9MQVdfRlJPTlRFTkQ=), with email submissions accepted until August 16, 2026.