Phra Khru Tham Sakhon, known as Luang Pu Krab Yanawatthano, served as the former abbot of Wat Krok Krak in Mueang District, Samut Sakhon Province, and as head of Tambon Mahachai Sangha District 2. He was deeply revered by local residents for his scholarly knowledge of Buddhist teachings. Born January 13, 1893, as Krab Charoen Suk, he was the son of Khrab and Loey Khai Muan. He was ordained at Wat Raatchrang in Mueang District on March 12, 1913, with Phra Khru Samut Kunakorn as his preceptor and received the monastic name Yanawatthano.

After completing his monastic studies at Wat Raatchrang, he transferred to Wat Krok Krak, where he was appointed abbot in 1920. He undertook extensive temple development projects and was appointed head of Tambon Mahachai Sangha District 2 in 1942. In 1970, he received royal promotion to the rank of Phra Khru.

Wat Krok Krak is believed to be an ancient temple dating back centuries. It was formally established around 1818 and received official monastic ordination grounds in 1880 during the reign of King Rama II. The temple's wooden teak ordination hall features distinctive Chinese architectural elements, reflecting the historical Chinese settlement in the area. King Rama V's royal barge stopped at the temple on July 30, 1905, during a riverine tour.

The temple is home to a sacred Buddha image called "Luang Pu Pu," revered as a protective spirit for residents of the Mahajai River basin for generations. The image is notably distinguished by wearing dark glasses. Both the original Buddha image and a cast statue of Luang Pu Krab wear black-framed spectacles, along with other modern eyewear styles.

According to the current abbot, Phra Khru Wisutthisitthikhun, the tradition of offering glasses to the Buddha image originated nearly a century ago when a widespread eye infection epidemic struck the community. Villagers made votive offerings asking for recovery from the disease, and miraculously, the entire village was healed. Grateful residents then rushed to apply gold leaf to the Buddha's eyes as an offering of gratitude. However, fearing damage to the ancient image, Luang Pu Krab ingeniously placed eyeglasses over the eyes instead—a practice devotees have followed ever since.

Once, a thief attempted to drill through the Buddha's torso. Upon discovering this, Luang Pu Krab mixed gold with rubber to seal the hole and performed a rededication ceremony on the 15th waning moon day of the first lunar month. This date now marks the annual "Saiyid Luang Pu Pu Day," celebrated with free live music and entertainment throughout the temple grounds each year.

Terrestrial orchids are gaining increasing attention among collectors and commercial markets alike, thanks to their distinctive flower shapes, unique colors, and hardiness in diverse growing conditions.

Khun Kla Chanintree Songsueang, a Chiang Mai farmer, has seriously developed terrestrial orchid cultivation, starting from a passion for orchids during university that evolved into a private business after graduation. Through years of study and collecting various orchid species, he discovered his true calling: terrestrial orchids, a group with strong potential for both breeding development and long-term market viability.

The core of Khun Kla's terrestrial orchid garden operation is in-farm hybridization, where he selects parent plants with distinctive characteristics and crosses them according to his vision and goals. Through continuous experimentation across multiple generations, he has developed new plants that satisfy both aesthetic and cultivation requirements. The resulting plants excel in flower production, vibrant colors, well-shaped petals, balanced plant form, easy maintenance, and minimal leaf drop—qualities highly valued by the market.

"I consider it a success to have developed plants that meet my original vision," Khun Kla said. "But one element I've lost is the petal markings. Initially they were distinct, but in this generation only some plants have markings, and they're not as well-defined as in earlier generations."

He explained that his future goal is to develop larger flowers with more prominent petal markings while maintaining the plant's ease of care and market appeal. Despite blooming only once yearly between December and January, the orchids remain commercially viable.

Once the terrestrial orchid varieties are stable and meet desired characteristics, Khun Kla explained that the next step is propagation through tissue culture to produce sufficient plants for market demand. This begins by removing plants from laboratory bottles after acclimating them to sunlight for about a week.

When removing seedlings from culture bottles, roots must be thoroughly cleaned and growing media removed completely. The plants are then soaked in antifungal solution for 4-5 minutes before planting in trays using finely chopped coconut husk as growing medium, with roots covered firmly.

During the care phase, plants are watered daily and fertilized with pesticide and insecticide spray every 7 days or every other week. This maintenance period lasts approximately 8 months to 1 year before seedlings can be moved to 4-inch pots. After another year of care, the young plants begin flowering and are ready for sale.

Regarding pests and diseases, rot and scale insects are the main problems in terrestrial orchids. These can be controlled through regular field monitoring and consistent application of commonly available pesticides.

On marketing, Khun Kla believes orchids remain a viable commercial crop even during economic downturns, as buyers have specific preferences and tend to make repeat purchases, especially for pure-strain orchids—the garden's core strength. Customer preferences vary by country; some markets prefer orchids with full blooms and striking flowers. Variety development must align with these market demands.

"When cultivating orchids, I don't initially see myself as a full-fledged businessman," he reflected. "Rather, I started by doing what I love. Once I've developed plants to my satisfaction, I then seek out markets and customer groups that appreciate them."

Thailand's Constitutional Court has dismissed a petition from Srisuwan Janya seeking a ruling that former Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha violated ethical standards by appointing ineligible persons to the Regional Inspection Task Force 11. Srisuwan argued the appointments constituted abuse of power and violated constitutional provisions on citizens' rights and freedoms, resulting in his own legal troubles as a co-defendant. However, the court unanimously determined that Srisuwan failed to establish that he suffered direct harm or violation of his rights from Prayut's actions, and that the petition did not meet procedural requirements under the Constitutional Court Procedure Act of 2561, Section 46. The court noted that ethical complaints against state officials must follow specific statutory procedures outlined in Section 47(2), which reserve such matters for designated complaint mechanisms, making Srisuwan's petition inadmissible under constitutional Article 213.

Former Police Hospital Chief Resigns To Fight Legal Battle

On July 1, 2025, Dr. Thanakarate Jitrareerratna posted a message stating "The doctor won't tolerate this." On July 2, 2025, Pol. Lt. Col. Dr. Tawee Vetwittharun, the former chief physician at the Police Hospital, decided to submit his resignation from government service to pursue his fight for justice. He announced he would be taking legal action against all relevant agencies in both civil and criminal proceedings.

Dr. Tawee was reassigned to the Royal Thai Police Operations Center, leaving his previous position following the Medical Council's decision to suspend his medical license. This stemmed from his involvement in the hospitalization of Thaksin Shinawatra on the 14th floor.

In May 2025, the Police Committee withdrew his nomination for the position of deputy police chief. On July 2, 2025, Pol. Lt. Col. Dr. Tawee Vetwittharun decided to resign from government service to prepare for his legal battle and demand justice for himself.

Grab is championing fandom tourism through the 'Grab Amazing Thai Rares' campaign, featuring personalities Ling and Om to inspire Thais to discover Thailand's charm from fresh perspectives. A trilingual guidebook recommends eating and travel spots across 55 appealing provinces, promoting domestic tourism and showcasing hidden gems that reflect each region's unique identity. The partnership targets modern travelers seeking meaningful experiences, cultural learning, and local insights.

Thapanee Kiartipaiboon, Governor of Thailand's Tourism Authority, emphasized the collaboration will stimulate tourism economy in the latter half of the year, promoting travel to major cities, secondary destinations, and hidden gems across all 55 provinces. The campaign also targets international visitors through Ling and Om, whose influence spans domestic and overseas audiences.

Jantsuda Thananitiyadum, CEO of Grab Thailand, stated the company is committed to developing its platform for convenient and safe travel while supporting community-driven tourism initiatives aligned with government policy. Last year's campaign 'Travel Thailand Happily, Trust Grab' featuring Ling and Om achieved strong results, generating over 300 million media impressions and a 48% increase in ride-hailing services in secondary cities.

The new 'Grab Amazing Thai Rares' campaign builds on that success, encouraging travelers to explore Thailand's appeal across multiple dimensions—attractions, local cuisine, and cultural festivals. It reinforces the Amazing Thailand brand while leveraging Ling and Om's strong fanbase, particularly among Gen Z Thais and Chinese tourists, championing fandom tourism as a concrete economic driver.