After touring international film festivals and selling distribution rights to over twenty countries worldwide, the Thai psychological thriller-drama 'Morte Cucina' is now being released for Thai audiences.

'Morte Cucina,' directed by Anucha Boonyawattana (Tom), features world-renowned cinematographer Christopher Doyle as director of photography. The cast includes Bella Thanatchaporn Bunsang as 'Saow' (the female lead), Kritsana Sriphumiset as 'Korn,' Napchai Chainam (Peter) as 'Doctor Arun,' and Tadanobu Asano as 'Katsu.'

The film tells the story of 'Saow' (Bella), a Bangkok waitress with a talent for traditional Thai cooking. One day, she unexpectedly encounters 'Korn' (Kritsana), a young man who deeply wounded her in the past. This encounter awakens long-buried resentment and triggers a revenge plot. She becomes the perfect housewife and dutiful spouse, preparing meals for him daily—but each dish carries death through carefully balanced ingredients based on knowledge of elemental properties, slowly destroying his health in cold calculation without relying on poisons.

Director Anucha revealed the film's concept: "In this film, Thai food is a main character. The idea came from that premise. I read a news story about a woman who killed her husband through food, but she used poison and got caught. So I thought, how could we kill someone without getting caught? I consulted with various chefs who explained there are ways to design it so he dies within a specific timeframe—they could create a menu for that."

Regarding casting, Anucha explained: "Casting has always been risky for me. I never feel completely confident. I have to talk with each actor individually. Bella said she was confident. Kritsana also said he was confident because he could internalize the character through the script. Peter—no need to mention him, I'm confident in him. When these people are together, it works. So I thought, let's take the risk. The result wasn't just confidence—they actually delivered."

When asked why they accepted the roles, Bella said: "Once I saw it was Phi Tom directing, there was no need to think—just whether he would choose me. I admit the script wasn't easy at first. I did my homework by talking extensively with Phi Tom and the casting director, which helped tremendously. The difficulty wasn't about being a chef, but the emotional complexity. The character's emotional world is completely different from my own, but we share one thing—determination."

Kritsana, who hasn't acted in over twenty years after becoming a professional chef, revealed: "As you know, I've been out of entertainment pursuing my culinary passion. Phi Tom's producer contacted me and told me this was a film about food. The moment I heard that word, I felt like a gift from heaven. When I actually started, the role challenged me greatly. I had to lose weight to 65kg, then gain to 75kg within a month and a half. This project transformed me in many ways, and working with Phi Tom felt like entering another world."

Finally, Peter Napchai, an experienced actor, stated: "For me, each new film is completely new and challenging. Working with Phi Tom..."

At 8:50 AM on July 3, 2569, at Parliament, Nattapong Ruangpanya, list-based MP and leader of the Democrat Party serving as opposition spokesperson, commented on corruption in local administration civil service exams under the Department of Local Administration. He noted that the secretary to Deputy PM Piphatchai Ratchakij recently resigned, raising questions about connections to the scandal.

Nattapong argued that authorities should focus on those who took the exam honestly and were affected by the controversy. He suggested the scandal may have originated from internal conflicts between rival civil service factions. "Both blue-line factions are in conflict with each other," he stated, adding that the issue surfaced due to these internal contradictions, ultimately harming innocent test-takers.

"I just received a complaint letter yesterday from honest test-takers," Nattapong said. "These candidates and their families had hopes of employment after passing. About 1,000 people are affected, and I believe there are many more honest individuals impacted by this situation."

He called on the government to review whether current measures unfairly harm innocent test-takers and suggested examining cases individually. Nattapong argued that if internal civil service conflicts hadn't surfaced, the government likely wouldn't have taken action. "I want the Prime Minister to demonstrate genuine anti-corruption efforts from within government itself, not just react to news that breaks publicly," he said.

When asked about Palang Pracharath's claim that the PM would seriously address the problem without targeting small-fry offenders, Nattapong countered that the PM, having served as Interior Minister multiple times, should have known such issues existed long within the ministry. He insisted that genuine commitment would require proactive action from day one, not reactive responses after internal scandals become public news. "The public is suffering because of this," he concluded, "and I don't believe there's sincere intent to fix corruption—only an attempt to cover up internal problems."

Viralya Vongchan, number 5 on the employer slate, heads the Social Security Development team (SSD) with seven candidates numbered 3-9, championing a modernized social security system. The team, running for employer representative positions on the Social Security Board, argues that employers deserve rights alongside their obligations and calls for policies that genuinely support business owners.

The seven urgent policy proposals include: 1) Pushing for transparent fund disclosure; 2) Studying a low-interest loan program worth 300 billion baht; 3) Expanding benefit access for employers; 4) Opening nationwide support centers for employer grievances; 5) Advocating reduced contribution rates for SMEs with 50 or fewer employees; 6) Enabling employers to borrow directly from the fund without bank intermediaries; 7) Resolving outstanding contribution issues by offsetting previous contributions to help closed businesses.

The team's philosophy centers on the idea that "when businesses survive, workers survive" and "social security must benefit employers, not merely burden them."

SSD team members are: Number 3 Dr. Thong Yoo Konghkan; Number 4 Dr. Taweekiat Rong Sawadi; Number 5 Ms. Viralya Vongchan; Number 6 Brigadier General Khattiyaphong Pakdichon; Number 7 Ms. Chalika Kuldilok; Number 8 Chadecha Pongdhanadhanavatthana; Number 9 Admiral Surasak Prathannvornpanya.

Voters must select all seven candidates (numbers 3-9) and register by July 15, 2025. Voting occurs September 27, 2025. Registration is available at https://www.sso.go.th/eservices/esv/login.do

The Permanent Secretary of the Interior Ministry, Arrsit Sampuntarat, announced progress following a fact-checking committee chaired by Deputy Permanent Secretary Santhithorn Yimlammay. Five civil servants in the Department of Local Administration have been found to have sufficient grounds for disciplinary charges. The Interior Ministry will establish a serious disciplinary investigation committee for all five officials. If violations are found, penalties will be imposed according to the nature of misconduct, such as salary reduction or suspension. If corruption is discovered, termination from government service will follow. However, officials confirmed that while all five individuals have demonstrated clear dereliction of duty that facilitated corruption, determining the specific stages of misconduct requires completion of the investigation. The Interior Ministry's discipline and personnel development unit is preparing the disciplinary order with names to be specified clearly. The five officials are confirmed to be high-ranking government employees. The Permanent Secretary will sign the final order. The investigation will not be limited to these five officials, as the network will be expanded to include anyone found to be involved, such as those connected to TOR.

The Democratic Republic of Congo has confirmed a sharp increase in Ebola cases, with confirmed infections now totaling at least 1,460 people and deaths rising to 447, according to Reuters reporting on July 3. Congo's Communications Ministry revealed that 54 new confirmed cases were detected on Wednesday, July 1, in the eastern provinces of Ituri and North Kivu, resulting in a fatality rate (CFR) of 31 percent. Uganda currently has 20 Ebola patients, of which 2 have died and 15 have recovered. France has reported one confirmed case—a doctor working in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Nakhon Ratchasima — Pong Pradit Orchard, located in Nong E Leuh village, Pak Chong district, Nakhon Ratchasima province, has earned a reputation for cultivating GI-certified durians from the Khao Yai-Pak Chong region. This geographical indication certification guarantees that the farm's durians are premium quality with a distinctive sweet taste, creamy texture, and unique fragrance.

Farm owner Pradit Wongsa revealed that he and his family have invested in durian cultivation on 100 rai of land in Nong E Leuh village. They grow three varieties—Monthong, Kan Yao, and Chani—with 1,600 trees in three age groups: 7, 8, and 9 years old. This year's yield surpasses previous seasons thanks to meticulous care and dedicated workers. Pradit and his wife Kham Pong oversee special attention to every tree and fruit to ensure the highest quality, delivering premium taste directly from orchard to consumer.

The farm's durians are characterized by their dry yet creamy flesh, sweet aroma, smooth texture, and subtle fragrance—true hallmarks of authentic Pak Chong durians. Each year, the orchard sells harvests domestically and internationally, generating substantial income. The current plot is undergoing its third harvest this season, with workers today alone selecting approximately 19 tons of fruit.

Beyond fruit production, Pong Pradit Orchard serves as an important agricultural learning and research center in northeastern Thailand. Visitors interested in viewing the GI durian harvest or purchasing fruit directly from the owner are welcome. The orchard is located in Pak Chong district, approximately 1 hour 28 minutes by car from the National Corn and Forage Research Center. For inquiries about yield and visiting hours, call 063-782-5591.