On July 2, 2025, the Po Teck Tung Foundation, led by Surapong Techaruwijit, vice chairman and secretary-general, organized a ceremony to distribute occupational equipment to 32 poor households in Phang Nga province, valued at 792,955 baht. The foundation also donated 20 bicycles to two schools worth 25,800 baht, bringing the total assistance to 818,755 baht. The foundation's leadership team, including board members Surapong Seratpakdi, Nathaprom Jatusreepidak, Siriporn Krajangla, and Naorawat Wannsiri, oversaw the distribution alongside education and occupational promotion staff and community health units.

In addition to equipment distribution, the foundation deployed a mobile medical unit staffed by volunteer doctors, medical personnel, rescue teams, and volunteers to provide free general health examinations, eyeglasses, haircuts, and dental services. Entertainment activities for children and youth were also organized. Phang Nga Governor Pairat Petchyuwan chaired the ceremony, with Department of Community Development Director-General Sayam Sirimongkol as co-chair. Celebrity volunteers Sanya Wongphornnarayan (Kaeng) and Sodsai Rojnawich (Sodsai Rung Podhthong) also participated at the Nopbaring Subdistrict Administrative Organization meeting hall in Muang district, Phang Nga.

Vice Chairman Surapong Techaruwijit explained that this integrated poverty-reduction project represents phase four of the foundation's nationwide initiative. Previous phases covered 870 impoverished households across central, northern, and northeastern Thailand with equipment valued over 17 million baht. The foundation is now expanding to 14 southern provinces including Chumphon, Surat Thani, Ranong, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phang Nga, Phatthalung, Songkhla, Trang, Satun, Krabi, Phuket, Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat. Over its 116-year history, the Po Teck Tung Foundation has committed to its mission of "saving lives, preserving lives, and creating lives" by providing comprehensive charitable assistance regardless of ethnicity or religion.

On July 2, 2025, Surpong Intaracharoen, Secretary-General of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), announced that the NACC board has determined that former Phuket Governor Jamlearn Tiphapongthada committed criminal and disciplinary violations. The charges stem from his issuance of hotel business license No. 144/2559 on September 27, 2016, to a company without proper legal authorization.

According to investigation findings, the company submitted a hotel business application to Kathu District on September 3, 2014, for a project located within 50 meters of Phuket's coastline with slopes between 35-50 percent. These conditions required an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), but the company failed to submit one despite receiving three requests from the district office. The company only submitted a change of building use form without the mandatory EIA.

On September 27, 2016, before transferring to Nakhon Si Thammarat, Jamlearn rushed subordinates to present pending cases for his review. Though staff notes clearly documented the missing EIA approval, Jamlearn signed and issued the hotel license anyway, violating the Hotel Business Act B.E. 2547 and relevant environmental protection regulations for Phuket Province.

The NACC board determined that Jamlearn's actions constitute criminal violations under the Penal Code Section 157 and the Anti-Corruption Act, as well as serious disciplinary violations. The commission forwarded the case to the Attorney General for criminal prosecution and to his superior for disciplinary proceedings.

Dr. Jetsada Bunyavongvirooj, Deputy Director of Maha Racha Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital, issued a warning about H. pylori, a bacterial infection of the stomach, via his Facebook page on July 2, 2026.

Nearly half of Thailand's population may carry H. pylori in their stomachs, including himself. The doctor revealed he had tested positive for the bacterium and noted that the most frightening aspect isn't the infection itself, but the fact that he cannot determine where it came from.

Helicobacter pylori infection is reported to affect approximately 40-50% of the world's population, with rates potentially higher across many Asian countries. Simply put, one in every two people around you may have been infected, but many don't realize it.

Many people show no symptoms—no fever, no clear stomach pain, no apparent abnormality—yet the bacterium can gradually cause: - Chronic gastric inflammation - Stomach ulcers - Gastrointestinal bleeding - Increased risk of stomach cancer

When the doctor discovered his infection, his first question was: "Where did it come from?" Was it from papaya salad, undercooked meat, fermented seafood, shared glasses, or communal spoons? Or did he contract it in childhood? The answer was simply: "I don't know."

Often, we never discover when the infection entered our lives—it could have been a single meal, repeated daily habits, or an infection from childhood only recently detected. What the doctor learned is that while we cannot control the past, we can reduce future risk by following simple practices: - Don't share spoons - Don't share drinking glasses - Wash hands before eating - Choose clean restaurants - Avoid raw foods

These seem ordinary, yet these everyday practices are often the ones we overlook most. The doctor concludes with a question: If you tested positive for H. pylori today, would you know where it came from? For him, to this day, he still cannot answer.

On July 2, 2569, Narcotics Bureau Secretary-General Deputy Police Commissioner Suriya Singhakamol announced a coordinated interception operation that seized 24.38 kilograms of heroin hidden in local handicrafts, silk clothing, coffee packets, and winter jackets packed in five international parcels bound for Australia and Taiwan.

The operation followed an earlier June 30 seizure of two packages in Bangkok containing 8.17 kilograms of heroin destined for Australia. Investigators traced the shipment origin to Loei Province and immediately conducted follow-up raids at cargo services there on July 1, discovering three additional similar parcels being distributed to two locations in Bangkok.

The first location in Bang Kapi District yielded two parcels containing 6.23 kilograms of heroin hidden in silk clothing destined for Taiwan. The second location on Rangnham Road in Ratchathewi District produced one parcel containing 9.98 kilograms concealed in coffee packets and winter jackets bound for Australia.

Investigations identified the organizer as a Thai national with an outstanding warrant from Tak Province for fraud charges, receiving orders from Australia. Officers conducting raids on July 2 at three locations in Loei and Nakhon Phanom provinces discovered that a Thai citizen working with his Laotian wife made two delivery trips, receiving remuneration transferred to the wife's bank account.

Deputy Police Commissioner Suriya emphasized that Thailand's proximity to the Golden Triangle—a major production center for methamphetamine, crystal meth, heroin, and ketamine—creates significant trafficking risks. International cooperation between Thai agencies and foreign counterparts is essential for disrupting these networks across land borders, airports, seaports, and international postal services. The investigation will continue to expand the drug trafficking network and prosecute all involved parties. The public is encouraged to provide information through the 24-hour hotline 1386, with assurances of strict confidentiality.

A video circulating on Thai social media shows a heated argument between a foreign man and a Thai woman at a fast-food restaurant, after the man questioned a tattoo on her ankle that appeared to depict a swastika symbol.

In the clip, the man wearing a red tank top is seen telling restaurant staff that the woman had a swastika tattoo. The woman is heard arguing back, saying she had the tattoo done when she was younger and did not understand its meaning at the time. Both parties exchange heated and profane remarks throughout the video.

The woman also insists she has not harmed anyone.

The incident has sparked online discussion, with some users pointing out that there have been previous cases in Thailand where individuals have displayed swastika or Nazi-related symbols without fully understanding their historical context or significance.

Thailand does not have specific laws prohibiting the display of such symbols.

The Government Housing Bank (GHB) is launching special financial products and promotions at the 16th Hat Yai Financial Expo 2026 to help reduce household expenses and enable residents to own energy-efficient homes. GHB Managing Director Mathattana Ampornpisit announced the initiative, which features the Solar Rooftop home loan as its flagship product for those wanting to purchase or build homes equipped with solar panels.

For Solar Rooftop installations, borrowers enjoy tiered interest rates: 0.99% annually for months 1-2, 1.99% for months 3-6, and 2.99% for months 7-12 (with mandatory insurance). The average first-year rate is 2.32% annually with repayment terms up to 40 years. A 1-million-baht loan carries monthly installments of just 3,600 baht. For dedicated solar installation loans of 300,000 baht, monthly payments begin at only 1,100 baht. GHB also subsidizes installation costs up to 30,000 baht for systems under 5KW and up to 50,000 baht for systems 5KW and above.

The GHB Precious home loan targets customers earning 50,000 baht monthly or seeking loans of 5 million baht or more, with fixed first-year rates starting at just 1.79% annually. Website members at www.ghbankbigfamily.com receive an additional 0.25% discount, reducing rates to 1.54% annually, making monthly payments on a 1-million-baht loan just 3,000 baht.

The expo also features GHB savings bonds, second-hand home sales (over 400 properties nationwide with discounts up to 50%), and various promotions including 0% interest financing for two years on selected properties. Regional properties can be reserved during the expo (July 3-5, 2569, 10am-8pm) with additional booking periods at branch offices through July 10. Early buyers of second-hand properties—the first 10 customers—receive 1,000-baht vouchers. The event runs July 3-5, 2569, featuring quarterly prize draws worth over 200,000 baht and numerous other promotions.