The Land Bridge project secretary revealed that an evaluation subcommittee will meet on Friday, July 3rd to assess project value and gather stakeholder input before submitting a report to the Prime Minister in August. Donucha Pichyanan, secretary-general of the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC), announced that the subcommittee will convene to receive information from private sector experts and transportation academics, including shipping line representatives, to carefully gather opinions before presenting the report to the Prime Minister in August.

The subcommittee will focus on three key evaluation areas: (1) commercial feasibility, examining the reasonableness of projected cargo volumes; (2) transshipment capacity, analyzing the project's ability to attract shipping lines given existing competitive regional ports; and (3) operational performance, evaluating the cost, time, and efficiency of moving cargo between shores.

Office officials stressed that this large-scale project requires extensive preparation and meticulous evaluation at every stage, from feasibility assessment through the issuance of a private sector request for proposals (RFP). The committee acts as a neutral body gathering data from academic, private, and public sectors to reach conclusions reflecting reality as closely as possible.

Regarding public concerns about linking the project to the proposed Southern Economic Corridor (SEC) development law, the committee will assess whether new legislation is actually necessary, since existing laws may be adaptable. "The committee doesn't presume new laws are always required, as many current laws could potentially be modified," Donucha stated. "But that depends on whether the Land Bridge project proves financially viable."

The government emphasized its commitment to hearing public input, particularly from local residents, and to pursuing gradual, sustainable development that communities support. The committee has engaged with protest groups to incorporate their concerns into considerations of project and legal appropriateness, with legal issues to be included in the Prime Minister's report.

Astrologer Wang Warangkana has released her July forecast, highlighting the five zodiac signs with the strongest luck this month.

Gemini: A turning point! Career progress and rising income.

Sagittarius: Lucky fortune! Wealth flows continuously.

Taurus: Steady luck! Life improves in every way.

Libra: Standout fortune! Success with support from others.

Aquarius: New opportunities! Unexpected prosperity beyond expectations.

Source: Wang Warangkana

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) announced a major initiative to promote Thai textiles and craftsmanship on the global stage. Tourism Minister Thapanee Kiatyapibul explained that TAT partnered with Petch Boutique, Beauty Gems, Prime Bangkok, Siam Paragon, and RANI Fabric Center to organize 'Threads of Amazing Thailand' at NEX Hall in Siam Paragon on June 1, 2025.

The event honors the legacy of the late Queen Sirikit in conserving and promoting Thai textiles while elevating contemporary Thai fabrics to modern fashion platforms. It showcases the cultural value of textiles from all four Thai regions and indigenous ethnic minority fabrics in elegant, modern, and contemporary forms, transforming Thailand's cultural capital into economic value through premium fashion and lifestyle industries.

TAT aims to promote Thai textile identity and handicrafts internationally, coinciding with Thailand's bid to register 'Thai fabric' and 'Thai dress' as intangible cultural heritage at UNESCO's 21st conference, scheduled for November 30 – December 5, 2025, in Xiamen, China.

The 'Threads of Amazing Thailand' event, under the 'Preserve Art, Weave Heritage to Thai Elegance' project, serves as a platform celebrating Thailand's creative power and cultural roots. The highlight features a fashion show presenting Thai textiles from all four regions and ethnic minority communities, collaborating community weavers, fashion designers, and educational institutions. The showcase includes over 75 outfits from Petch Boutique, presented by 25 renowned models and influencers, including Miss World Thailand 2026 finalist Kanthira Tachaphatthanakul.

The presentation is divided into five regional segments: the North, featuring Lamphun brocade and indigenous cotton; the Northeast, showcasing traditional silk, mudmee weaving, and Surin silk; the Central Region, displaying royal-style gold-patterned fabrics and reinterpreted antique textiles; and the South, presenting patani fabric and regional specialties.

Industry Minister Warawuth Silpaarch is advancing a four-pillar industrial reform policy through the ONE MIND initiative to deregulate, promote green industry, and elevate Northeast SMEs to global markets. The minister outlined four strategic pillars: direct engagement with business operators to address their concerns (People Engagement), creation of new economic engines (Policy Execution), legal and regulatory reform to remove investment obstacles (Legal Reform), and advancement of green industry supporting low-carbon economy (Minister's Passion) to enhance Thailand's industrial competitiveness long-term.

Thailand faces mounting challenges from global economic shifts, environmental regulations, new technologies, and an aging population. The Industry Ministry is accelerating integrated operations under the ONE MIND framework to transform these challenges into economic opportunities, particularly supporting SMEs to adapt and compete globally.

The ministry recently conducted a field visit to Udon Thani province, hosting a public forum that attracted over 200 participants from industry and community enterprises across the upper Northeast region. Activities included:

1. A three-dimensional business summit organized by SME D Bank to promote equal access to capital for Thai SMEs 2. A visit to Thai Sugar Udon Thani Company to study sugar cane processing and packaging operations, including inspection of outstanding farmers' fields using promoted sugarcane varieties from the Thai Sugarcane and Sugar Board to drive bioeconomy development across the value chain 3. Inspection of Asia Pacific Potash Corporation's potash mining project, emphasizing international environmental standards to minimize community impact while preparing for balanced economic growth

The ministry will consolidate all feedback, business challenges, and recommendations from the Udon Thani consultations to design targeted promotional measures, remove business barriers, and better address private sector and regional economic needs, driving sustainable and environmentally responsible industrial growth across the regions.

Singer Farida Hai Thong Kham, the latest artist from Hai Thong Kham record label and mother of Vera, has been trending on social media due to her intense work schedule juggling live product sales and music performances. She recently posted about eating nutritious food sent by her husband Tintin, a new country music artist, assuring fans not to worry about her well-being. However, late last night, Farida was admitted to Navameth Hospital. This follows a previous hospital visit due to bleeding. Her doctor has instructed her to get plenty of rest. Despite her health challenges, she has received overwhelming support and encouragement from fans.

Mexico has announced retaliatory tariffs on canned pineapple imported from Thailand, effective from June 20, 2026 to June 20, 2031 for a five-year period. The Commerce Ministry reported that Mexico's Economy Ministry announced its final investigation results on June 19, 2026, concluding that canned pineapple imports from Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines have caused damage to Mexico's domestic industry. The investigation found that definitive countervailing duties would be imposed on canned pineapple from all three countries as follows: Thailand at $0.93 per kilogram, the Philippines at $0.94 per kilogram, and Indonesia at $0.99 per kilogram for PT Great imports and $1.02 per kilogram for other exporters. The tariffs take effect from June 20, 2026 through June 20, 2031. The investigation found that imported pineapple prices from these three countries averaged 40% below domestic producer prices and 23% below other import sources. This dumping behavior caused significant damage to the domestic industry, with total production falling 21%, domestic sales declining 2%, market share dropping 12.9%, and employment decreasing 5%. In the first four months of 2026, Mexico imported canned pineapple worth $19.48 million, a 136% increase, with imports from Thailand alone reaching $4.76 million, up 43.86%.