The bell-shaped stupa of Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahaviharn has dominated the center of Nakhon Si Thammarat for more than a thousand years. Today it is no longer merely a spiritual center for Thai people—it is a new heritage site for the world. Residents of Nakhon Si Thammarat and Thai citizens celebrated this historic moment after UNESCO's 48th World Heritage Committee meeting in Busan, South Korea, unanimously voted on July 25, 2025, to designate Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahaviharn in Nakhon Si Thammarat as a cultural world heritage site.

This marks Thailand's sixth cultural world heritage site, its ninth world heritage site overall, and the first cultural heritage site in Southern Thailand. Though historical records lack clear evidence of its origins, legend tells of Prince Thanthakumara and Princess Hemchala, two royal children from Thamburi, who brought the sacred tooth relic (Emerald Tusk) fleeing warfare to the sandy shore and built a small stupa to enshrine relics as its foundation.

In 1719, King Sri Thammaracha established Nakhon Si Thammarat and rebuilt the stupa. During the reign of King Chanthraphanusingharatmaja, the second king, he invited Buddhist monks from Sri Lanka to establish the sangha and renovated the stupa according to Sri Lankan architectural style—the inverted bell shape that appears today. According to Fine Arts Department records, the temple was originally called Wat Phra Brommathat, though whether monks permanently resided there remains unclear.

The Fine Arts Department notes that the temple's historic structures were maintained sporadically by local lords and respected elders. The governors of the time appointed a senior monk called Phra Kru Hem Jetiyanuraks as head, with four assistants who rotated custodian duties without monks taking permanent residence.

During the reign of King Mongkut (Rama VI), in 1858, he visited Nakhon Si Thammarat and appointed Phra Kru Vinaidthorn (Nun) from Wat Phet Chrik to be the abbot. From then on, the temple had a permanent abbot and resident monks. It received the new name Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahaviharn by royal decree under the Ministry of Religious Affairs' royal monastery regulations.

Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahaviharn covers 34.43 rai in a rectangular layout enclosed by a brick wall surrounding the stupa cluster—the spiritual center of the temple. It comprises one large main stupa on a high square base, four directional stupas at the corners, and 120 small stupas arranged in three concentric square rings around the main structure.

The finial of the main stupa features 52 tiered gold umbrellas, with ornate square pedestals between the bell and umbrellas decorated with stucco Buddha figures in graceful poses arranged as a circumambulatory, called the "Phra Wien." The stupa's spire stands 10.89 meters high and is sheathed in pure gold weighing 800 baht or approximately 216 kilograms—the origin of the province's motto referencing the "Golden Relic."

The significant tradition associated with the temple is the "Cloth-Raising Ceremony," in which townspeople collectively donate fabric.

Minister to the Prime Minister's Office Supamas Isarabhakdi has instructed the Government Public Relations Department and MCOT Public Company Limited to strengthen public communication following the r...

Thailand is fielding 282 para-athletes for the 5th Asian Para Games, with the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) preparing the team in coordination with the Thai Paralympic Committee and four sports associations to pursue a target of 24 gold medals.

The Thai para-sports delegation will compete in the 5th Asian Para Games scheduled for October 18–24, 2026, in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan.

Dr. Kong Sak Yodmanee, director-general of the SAT, revealed that SAT is collaborating with the Thai Paralympic Committee and four sports associations—the Thai Association of the Disabled, the Thai Association for the Blind, the Thai Cerebral Palsy Association, and the Thai Intellectual Disability Sports Association—to prepare 282 athletes for competition across 18 sports: archery, athletics (wheelchair racing), badminton, boccia, cycling, football, goalball, judo, weightlifting, shooting, sitting volleyball, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair fencing, wheelchair rugby football, and wheelchair tennis.

"The preparation of Thailand's para sports team is in excellent condition, covering athlete training camps, allowance disbursements, and sports science," said the SAT director-general.

Regarding expectations for Thailand's para-sports team at the 5th Asian Para Games, Dr. Kong Sak stated that the sports associations have set a joint target of 24 gold medals: 17 from the Thai Association of the Disabled (comprising 1 in athletics, 6 in wheelchair racing, 2 in shooting, 1 in taekwondo, 2 in wheelchair fencing, and 5 in table tennis), 5 from the Thai Cerebral Palsy Association (1 in wheelchair racing and 4 in boccia), and 2 from the Thai Association for the Blind (2 in athletics).

"The selection criteria this time follow federation qualifications and athletes' world rankings. Given the excellent preparation work by all sports associations, we are confident that Thailand's para team will achieve results in line with our targets at this Asian Para Games," the SAT director-general concluded.

At the 4th Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, China, in 2023, Thailand's para-sports team earned 27 gold medals, 26 silver medals, and 55 bronze medals, finishing 7th in the overall medal count. China, as host, topped the standings with 214 gold medals, 167 silver medals, and 140 bronze medals.

On August 2, 2025, police sergeant Pisit Noopinithorn from Bang Khun police station responded to a report of a body and motorcycle in a coconut plantation drainage ditch at Soi 1, Moo 6, Ban Bang Yi Long, Samut Songkhram province. Officers arrived with Dr. Naphatthorn Tanstirrapong from Naphaly Hospital and rescue workers from the Sahaparachen Samut Songkhram Foundation.

At the scene—a road within the plantation with a water channel running alongside—they found the body of 59-year-old Sompresoeng (surname withheld), a tambon subdistrict council member for Sector 2, lying face-down in a student uniform. The body showed signs of decomposition, suggesting death occurred at least 20 hours earlier. Nearby lay an overturned Yamaha motorcycle bearing a Ratchaburi license plate, and a black bag containing school materials—books, notebooks, and pens—were recovered as evidence.

According to witness Bunpong (surname withheld), age 63, also a council member and the man who discovered the scene, Sompresoeng had departed that morning of August 1 to attend an undergraduate program at Maha Chulalongkorn Buddhist University's Faculty of Social Sciences campus at Wat Intaram in Samut Songkhram, approximately 10 kilometers away. However, he never arrived at class.

When fellow students realized he was missing and unreachable, they organized a search along his route without success. This morning, they found his motorcycle and body in the plantation ditch.

Sompresoeng's wife, Pikul, age 62, disclosed that her husband suffered from chronic conditions including high blood pressure, an enlarged heart, and irregular heartbeat before he dressed in his student uniform and left home as usual. After learning he had not attended class and could not be reached, the family and friends became concerned and began searching.

Initially, authorities suspect that while riding his motorcycle to class, Sompresoeng experienced a medical collapse triggered by his chronic illness, causing him to lose control and plunge into the drainage ditch. Officers will conduct a preliminary autopsy and further investigation to determine the exact cause of death.

Senior twin actresses Gluay Prartana and Goy Parichar revealed their latest video titled "Life Changed After Learning I Have Cancer" on their YouTube channel, discussing Gluay's stage 3 colorectal cancer diagnosis and near-fatal experience. Gluay, who underwent nearly a year of treatment, described a terrifying moment during chemotherapy when she lost consciousness, walked into a bathroom door, and was admitted to the ICU with five doctors attending to her. She emphasized that mental strength and willpower were as important as medical treatment in her recovery.

Gluay recounted the frightening incident where after her second chemotherapy session, the medication was adjusted and she became disoriented, eventually losing consciousness. Her niece noticed her walking into the bathroom door repeatedly. Her husband Ron, who had been caring for her and was already dealing with his own health concerns, was shocked and devastated by her condition. Goy explained that if the emergency had occurred at home rather than at the hospital, the outcome could have been fatal. Ron, who rarely called his sister despite their close family bond, was so distressed that he called to check on Gluay's condition, with her only able to repeat her name in response.

Gluay credits being near medical professionals at the time of her collapse as lifesaving. She spent time in the ICU under the care of five doctors and eventually recovered. The video aims to provide encouragement to others battling illness and difficult times, with Gluay emphasizing the importance of maintaining one's spirit and determination to fight, and urging viewers to take care of their health.

The 2026 Scenic Half Marathon Rayong proved hugely popular, with over 4,500 runners from across Thailand participating in a race showcasing Rayong's beautiful coastal views. Nathavut Innoom and Oranong Wongsorn won the 21.1-kilometer half-marathon championship.

RaceUp Work Co., Ltd. organized the fifth edition of the Scenic ½ Marathon Rayong 2026 under the theme "Run, Play, Eat, Explore Rayong Beach" on Sunday, August 2, 2026, at Laem Charoen Public Park in Pak Nam, Muang Rayong District. The scenic route hugged one of the Eastern region's most beautiful coastlines, passing three major beaches: Laem Charoen, Saengchan, and Suchart. The race maintained its World Athletics Road Race Label certification for a second consecutive year.

An Expo Day was held on Saturday, August 1, 2026, from 10:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at PASSiONE Hall on the third floor of PASSiONE Shopping Destination, where runners collected race packets and browsed merchandise from over 30 sports retailers and partner vendors. Special activities included a trivia contest offering approximately 40 prizes, building excitement leading into race day.

The race was graced by Salarivwan Thabtavee, Deputy Governor of Rayong Province, as ceremony chairman; Thanasorn Dokduea, director of tourism and sports for Rayong; and Dr. Satthit Pitutetcha, honorary advisor to the organizing committee and chairman of Rayong FC. Several Rayong FC players, including Anon Amornchotsakdi, Thanpisit Hemapantan, Kittipat Kulpa, Theerapol Saengdech, Honggyu Yeo, Stefan Cebara, and Cristian Magerusan, joined the 10-kilometer race.

The 2026 edition featured two distance categories: the 21.1-kilometer half-marathon and 10-kilometer race, both starting and finishing at Laem Charoen Public Park. Runners enjoyed stunning sea views and were entertained by costumed participants in an "Under The Sea" theme throughout the event. The race also gave back to the community by donating 40,000 baht to Rayong Municipality for education and 12,000 baht to Chulalongkorn Hospital for community development and public health initiatives.