Police are hunting two suspects—Thana, 43, and Thaijai (Thong), 39—accused of nighttime theft using vehicles and connected to the disappearance of two Russian brothers, now five days without trace. On July 31, 2025, reporters spoke with the wife of the fugitive Thong, who said she had been in a relationship with him for about a year. She revealed that his associate Thana had recently been released from prison and once attempted to assault her in bed, only stopped when Thong intervened. She believes Thong may have tried to help the Russian brothers escape Thana but was coerced by threats into participating in the crime. The couple last met on Monday, July 27, when Thong gave her 100 baht before disappearing. She urged her husband to surrender, saying he cannot escape justice. A close friend, known as Khon, 56, who fishes with Thong, reported seeing him ride a red Honda Wave motorcycle near the burial site on July 28 or 29. Khon believes Thong was intimidated by Thana, who is armed, into helping with the crime and appealed for Thong to turn himself in while hoping the Russian children remain alive. Dashcam footage from July 29 at 06:05 captured Thana and Thong on separate motorcycles leaving Thung Luang Soi, less than 100 meters from the motorcycle burial site, and returning at 06:07—the same day the buried motorcycle was discovered.

PHUKET: Two public transport drivers have tested positive for methamphetamine outside Phuket International Airport just days after the launch of the airport’s annual ‘White Airport 2026’ safety campaign – a programme that once again failed to report finding a single drug-impaired driver.

Deputy Interior Minister Worasit Liangprasoet on July 31, 2569 disclosed progress on an investigation into allegations of fraud in local government recruitment exams, saying he has instructed relevant agencies to expedite fact-checking and action on all fronts to achieve swift clarity. He confirmed that within the coming week there must be progress or conclusions in completed investigations to restore public confidence. Local government recruitment exams are a critical gateway for young people and those sincere about public service; allowing fraud to occur damages moral principles and destroys public trust in the civil service system.

"I have instructed all agencies that next week we must have results in the areas where action is possible," Worasit said. "We will not let this matter be buried or drag on. The public must have answers, and those who took the exam honestly must receive justice. If the investigation finds that any individuals or government officials were involved in corruption, we will take decisive action through discipline, administrative procedures, and criminal law with no exceptions, and we will not consider the position or influence of anyone involved."

Worasit added that responsible agencies have been ordered to coordinate with law enforcement agencies to swiftly gather complete evidence with transparency and in accordance with due process, while providing regular progress reports to keep the public continuously informed. The Interior Ministry prioritizes strengthening good governance in local administration and will not allow corruption to undermine the opportunities of candidates who passed exams through ability and integrity, because truth must be revealed, justice must be served, and wrongdoers must face legal punishment.

National IT and Telecom Authority (NITMX), which provides Thailand's national payment infrastructure, released June 2025 usage data for the PromptPay system on July 31, showing continued growth in digital payments during the first half of the year. PromptPay transaction volume reached 2.39 billion in June, a 13% year-on-year increase, while transaction value stood at 4.38 trillion baht, up 4% year-on-year. This growth reflects PromptPay's role as a cornerstone of Thailand's digital financial infrastructure, supporting high-volume transactions reliably across peer-to-peer transfers, online shopping, small business payments, and cash flow tied to expanding economic activity.

Registered accounts climbed to 83.15 million by end of June, comprising 82.73 million personal accounts and 0.42 million business accounts. Steady growth in registrations shows public and business confidence in the real-time, secure, and low-cost transfer system, particularly among small merchants, online retailers, and freelancers. The highest daily transaction volume occurred on Tuesday, June 30, with 79.79 million transactions, coinciding with month-end bill payments, salary transfers, and business clearing cycles.

Cross-border QR payment inbound transactions in June reached 1,584,225 million baht, driven largely by foreign tourists using their home country apps to scan QR codes and pay for goods and services in Thailand directly, eliminating currency exchange barriers. China led with 981.52 million baht in transaction value, followed by Malaysia at 310.69 million baht and Laos at 111.85 million baht, underscoring the importance of cross-border payment connectivity for supporting tourism and international trade.

MP Phakamon Thun-anon on July 31 criticized the lack of progress in the local government exam fraud case, noting that over 40 days have passed since authorities raided a building in Nonthaburi but no substantial headway has been made on the 5-billion-baht corruption scheme. She contended the fraud was not a spontaneous act but a premeditated conspiracy coordinated at senior management levels, with evidence pointing to collusion between the Department of Local Administration and Srinakharinwirot University since 2023.

Phakamon highlighted that Burapha University initially won the bidding process in December 2566 but was later replaced by Srinakharinwirot University, which had submitted a higher price. After Burapha's appeal succeeded, the contract was still awarded to Srinakharinwirot under new specifications, suggesting deliberate manipulation of the procurement process.

She emphasized that a fraud operation of this magnitude requires coordination at the decision-making level, not merely among low-level implementers, and that the case warrants investigation into the financial trails of individuals involved and a thorough review of how contract specifications were altered to favor one university over another.

PHUKET: Bangkok Hospital Group has officially opened the Bangkok-Phuket Cancer Institute, bringing together the cancer treatment services of three private hospitals in Phuket as part of a strategy to strengthen the islands position as a regional medical hub and destination for medical tourism.