On June 30, 2025, at Khao Mai Daeng Temple in Si Racha District, Chachoengsao Province, crowds of devotees continuously paid respects to the "Kumarn Khong" golden child statue to seek blessings and lottery luck for the July 1 draw.

The "Kumarn Khong" is a renowned golden statue at Khao Mai Daeng Temple, created in 2020 by Abbot Luang Pho Sanga. Sculpted by artist Sang Mongkhon and standing 16 inches wide, the statue is believed by locals to possess sacred power, bringing good fortune and fulfilling wishes. Devotees traditionally offer snacks, toys, and beer in gratitude when their wishes come true.

Today, a 40-year-old devotee named Somchai brought snacks, beer, and various toys to pay respects and seek lottery numbers from the statue. After lighting incense and making his request, the numbers 834 appeared on the incense stick, which he decided to play for this draw according to his personal belief.

The atmosphere was bustling with many people continuing to arrive seeking blessings and lucky numbers. The shrine area was filled with toys and beer offerings, reflecting the widespread belief that "Kumarn Khong" brings luck nearly every draw. The statue reportedly provides not only Thai lottery numbers but also neighboring country lottery numbers daily. Items the statue favors include all brands of Thai and foreign beer, as well as toys brought daily by devoted believers.

Pond and Phuwin express excitement and gratitude for the overwhelming support from fans after all three shows of their POND PHUWIN Space Soul-dyssey CONCERT sold out quickly. Both actors confirmed they aim to deliver the best possible concert experience and shared that filming for the special series "Khun Theer Has Woken Up, Luk Peach" is nearly complete, though they admitted feeling pressure about the production. Pond also revealed an impressive moment meeting NCT's Jaehyun, praising him as kind and warm—citing him as a long-time inspiration for his work. The actors discussed their packed schedule, noting they're managing multiple projects simultaneously while working with a reliable team and expressing joy at connecting with fans through various projects including concert live-streams.

Deputy Transport Minister Patthrapongse Pattapresoet revealed that he has been tasked by Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn to monitor the case of a Thai airline crew member arrested by Australian authorities after drugs were discovered hidden in luggage brought into the country. He has requested the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) to coordinate with all relevant agencies to strengthen preventive measures and prevent recurrence.

According to preliminary information, the crew member was on duty for a flight from Thailand to Melbourne on June 25 when Australian officials conducted an inspection and discovered fabric bags brought from Thailand containing concealed narcotics. The crew member is now in custody pending trial in Australian court.

Patthrapongse stated that under international safety standards, all crew members must undergo the same screening as regular passengers. While Thai airports have expedited procedures for crew clearance, they must still pass personal and baggage inspections according to international standards. Airport security primarily focuses on detecting dangerous objects, weapons, and explosives that could threaten aircraft safety, with staff trained to international standards and subject to regular CAAT inspections.

Regarding smuggling of illegal items such as drugs, animals, plants, and prohibited goods, airports coordinate with customs and anti-narcotics agencies to share information and conduct additional inspections. The system has consistently detected violations, though they may not receive significant media attention.

Patthrapongse noted that while the crew member passed screening at the departure airport, most security checks focus on flight safety hazards. The skillful concealment of the narcotics allowed it to pass undetected, whereas Australian officials specifically screen for smuggled drugs and illegal items, enabling them to discover the contraband.

To prevent similar incidents, Patthrapongse said he has coordinated with Lt. Gen. Marnot Chuanprayoon, Director of CAAT, to convene meetings with Thai Airways, customs, and anti-narcotics agencies to establish additional measures. These include stricter crew regulations on accepting or carrying items, enhanced inter-agency information sharing, and improved intelligence coordination to detect risks efficiently, while maintaining passenger service standards without unnecessary disruption.

Thai Life Insurance Public Company Limited, partnering with Matichon Academy, is launching the fourth year of its "Thai Life Insurance: Creating Opportunities, Building Careers" program, expanding training to 10 provinces nationwide while leveraging local raw materials to create jobs and income for communities through a Creating Shared Value (CSV) approach.

Thitima Liang Phanichai, Director of Corporate Communications and Sustainability, stated that Thai Life Insurance believes sustainable social development must start with creating opportunities and strengthening people's ability to become self-reliant. The company aims to promote vocational skills alongside financial education to help participants generate income and build long-term security for themselves and their families.

Over the past three years, the program has conducted training at 27 locations nationwide, reaching over 2,000 participants. In 2025, Thai Life Insurance will expand to an additional 10 provinces: Sisaket, Maha Sarakham, Roi Et, Phetchabun, Chai Nat, Kanchanaburi, Suphan Buri, Chumphon, Lampang, and Bangkok. The company will continue its second-year collaboration with APCD (Asia and Pacific Centre for Disability, Rehabilitation and Development) to provide vocational skills training to people with disabilities and vulnerable groups that can directly lead to employment and income generation.

Thitima further noted that expanding training areas this year reflects Thai Life Insurance's commitment to extending career opportunities deeper into communities, especially in areas where there is demand for skills development to increase income-earning potential and improve quality of life sustainably.

The program also prioritizes developing local identity and raw materials into career-building menus to add value to agricultural products and generate local income. Examples include transforming SrisakeT and Roi Et's fragrant rice jasmine 105 into "fragrant jasmine rice tea," and turning Maha Sarakham's sugarcane and butterfly pea flowers into "sugarcane juice with fresh butterfly pea milk" beverages to create opportunities, add value to local products, promote job creation, and drive grassroots economic growth.

The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) and the Thailand Ice Hockey Association are conducting the IIHF ASPG League Management Clinic from July 26-28, 2026 at SC Park Hotel. The program features Paul Carson, former deputy director of ice hockey development for Canada, and Klaus Grobner, secretary general of the German World Championship organizing committee. The course is overseen by Harald Springfield, IIHF sport development director; Kim Pedersen, IIHF sport director; and Wanchana Kesamsantnada Ayutthaya, Asia region ice hockey development manager.

The clinic has attracted 27 participants from 14 Asian nations: Bahrain, Hong Kong, Iran, Indonesia, India, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Nepal, Oman, Singapore, Taipei, the UAE, and Thailand.

Wanchana Kesamsantnada Ayutthaya explained that this is a new IIHF initiative to elevate Asia's ice hockey standards by establishing properly regulated leagues. Current Asian leagues lack standardization, but the federation believes that strong league systems will naturally improve national teams. The program emphasizes age-appropriate competition formats—younger children playing on smaller rinks or in 3×3 formats, while players 16 and older compete with full body checking to learn proper contact rules. Competition timing must also align with international standards.

Wanchana noted that participating nations appreciated the course, which included instruction from personnel at English and German leagues. Germany particularly serves as a model, ranking ice hockey as the country's second-most popular sport after football, with a robust league system that keeps the German national team at the world's elite level. He observed that most Asian countries currently have only informal private competitions with varying rules, resulting in inconsistent standards.

Wanchana recommended that Thailand begin with a national championship organized by age divisions from youth to open categories, with full body checking starting at ages 16-18. He emphasized that developing young players through proper contact rules from childhood would better prepare them for international competition, reducing fear and hesitation when facing stronger opponents at world championships.

On June 30, 2025, at Parliament, Rangsiman Rom, representing the ruling Pheu Thai party as chair of the House Committee on Law, Justice and Human Rights, received a petition from the Civil Society Association for State Power Audit regarding fraud in local government recruitment from 2024-2026.

PichaiPhitthak, representing the association, outlined how the case has been tracked since 2024, when recruitment began and objections were later filed with the Special Cases Investigation Division requesting the project be halted due to payment demands. In 2025, concerns emerged over the Terms of Reference (TOR) being non-transparent, leading to protests from competing universities including Surin Rajabhat University.

The association raised four main concerns: First, the TOR design had vulnerabilities enabling fraud, with the TOR committee overlapping with exam writers from Srinakharinwirot University (MSV). Police found over 3,000 leaked answer sheets stored unencrypted on a flash drive discovered in Bangbuathong. Second, violations of procurement law caused state damage, with the Interior Minister and Department of Local Administration director signing contracts allowing a 48-hour to 15-day correction window—a potential data manipulation loophole. The TOR required storing files in JPG and PDF format on unencrypted flash drives; files with LTSC extension (used only by government agencies) later appeared at a Bangbuathong company and were printed, suggesting data theft by insiders.

Third, the association requested the committee trace suspect finances and coordinate with the anti-money laundering office to seize assets before money laundering occurs. Fourth, it asked for follow-up on investigation of subdistrict chief training exam fraud from April 5, 2024.

Rangsiman emphasized that if the allegations are true—unencrypted storage and file breaches—it raises questions about standards in high-stakes exams affecting thousands and the civil service system. He questioned who bears responsibility, including senior officials with oversight authority.