Deputy Prime Minister Ekniti Nitithanprasert announced progress on reviewing the state welfare card program at a July 3 meeting of the grassroots economic and social welfare committee. Officials will re-screen approximately 19 million applicants' data—a complete overhaul due to no updates in over five years—to verify accuracy and remove deceased beneficiaries or those with increased income. The 19 million applicants come from three sources: 2 million existing cardholders to be rescreened, 5 million identified as genuinely poor and vulnerable through Interior Ministry surveys, and 1 million from Social Development and Human Security Ministry databases plus basic necessity data collection. When asked if new beneficiary numbers might exceed the projected 14 million, Ekniti stressed the government has no fixed ceiling—even exceeding 14 million is acceptable. The priority is reaching truly struggling people with no support, particularly elderly citizens without children, with welfare cards complementing existing social assistance programs. "I've visited affected areas and seen real hardship," Ekniti said. "The government must address elderly people with no family support and no resources. The welfare card serves as supplementary assistance alongside other social benefits they already receive."

Nonthaburi: At approximately 5:50 a.m. on July 4, 2025, Rattanathibethet Police Station in Nonthaburi received a report of multiple shooting victims near a convenience store at the entrance of Soi Samakki 62, Bang Khae Subdistrict, Muang District. Officers rushed to the scene.

Investigators determined that two rival teenage groups had been at an entertainment venue in the area. A confrontation erupted when members of one group grabbed a girlfriend of someone in the other group, leading to heated arguments. The injured group left the venue and waited in ambush across from the convenience store.

When the rival group of approximately 8-10 teenagers arrived, they opened fire with a homemade shotgun, striking three people. Police identified the victims as Atichaat (surname withheld), 21, shot in the right shoulder; Banhan (surname withheld), 20, shot in the right arm—both transported to Bhumibol Hospital; and Akkhara (surname withheld), 20, shot in the chest with critical injuries. Akkhara died en route to Mongkutwattana Hospital.

Two Hong Kong women crammed into one seat on an MTR East Rail train, forcing a mother and child sitting nearby to relocate. Their confrontational behavior frightened the child into tears. When a passenger began filming, one woman defiantly shouted in Mandarin: "Film away! Make me famous! I'm sitting here, so what?" The videographer, frustrated by their conduct, posted the footage online, captioning it: "Let everyone see the confidence on her face."

The video went viral on Threads, triggering widespread online backlash. Netizens condemned the women as "rude and uncultured," "faces that reveal true character," and "absolutely disgusting." Some suggested reporting the incident to MTR staff via the emergency button.

The incident occurred on July 1 on the East Rail line. During the confrontation, the women wore black off-shoulder shirts and sat by the window. One woman initially smiled at the camera but tensed immediately when she noticed being filmed. She then shouted the viral phrase, causing a child to cry continuously. She later claimed: "I'm a girl too, everyone should listen to me" and "I did nothing wrong—you're all bullying a small woman. Film me!"

After posting, netizens flooded comments with criticism: "No manners," "Face reveals true nature," "Absolutely disgusting," "No shame." Many suggested pressing the emergency button and reporting disruptive passenger behavior to authorities.

Under Hong Kong's MTR regulations, Section 25 prohibits passengers from causing trouble or distress to others on trains or MTR premises. Violators face fines up to 5,000 Hong Kong dollars (approximately 21,000 Thai baht).

On July 4, 2569, Democrat Party spokesperson Pongsak Khwanmuang disclosed details about the July 1 vote on the 2570 fiscal year budget bill, explaining that the party's lawmakers voted to abstain without any hidden political motives. He reaffirmed the party's commitment to quality opposition work.

Pongsak stated the Democrat Party has a clear position: disagreement with the government's budget allocation methods, which require substantial improvement. He cautioned that if the majority vote rejects the budget in the first reading, Thailand would face a budget crisis that would intensify existing economic and livelihood problems.

The party chose abstention to demonstrate to the government that budget allocation methods need further refinement at the committee level. Pongsak noted the party has employed similar voting tactics in the past to lead to appropriate budget improvements.

Meanwhile, Democrat Party list representative Karan Chatikvanit posted on social media clarifying that opposition parties typically abstain during first-reading budget reviews. He emphasized that while the country requires budget implementation, the party abstained specifically because it disagreed with the government's budget allocation methods, citing deficiencies highlighted by multiple lawmakers during previous debates.

Renowned film director Madeeya Chuekiatti Saksiveerakul, chair of the Thai Film Directors Association, participated in a forum titled "Know Before You Accept Work" held on July 3rd at the Bangkok Arts and Culture Center. Before the discussion on unpaid wages, he spoke candidly with media about the event.

When asked about the forum, Madeeya said: "I'm honored to organize this event with the Labor Ministry. As chair of the directors association, I've received complaints from countless industry professionals who've been cheated, defrauded, and exploited. Yesterday I testified in court about entertainment industry issues—people accepting work and not getting paid is rampant. The cumulative damages in our entertainment sector have reached into the hundreds of millions of baht. Whether it's outright non-payment or vanishing investments, we need help. The directors association helps mediate disputes, and the Labor Ministry has been invaluable. Often, small-time workers are cheated of their wages, but going to court costs tens of thousands in legal fees. The Labor Ministry operates labor courts and has a worker protection department. What's great is that anyone facing employment problems can walk in to the Labor Ministry directly for mediation or to file a labor court case. This is tremendously helpful—when workers understand their rights and know what protections and benefits they have, they work with much greater peace of mind."

When asked about existing labor laws, Madeeya explained: "The laws already exist, but many don't know their rights. For example, some don't realize whether they're signing an employment contract or a contract for services. Once people attend forums like this, they'll understand what type of arrangement they're in and can properly seek justice if disputes arise."

On urgent priorities, Madeeya said: "The most urgent issue right now is raising awareness about employment contracts. Before starting work, people should communicate via chat or phone calls, which can serve as contractual evidence. We're also developing a platform for contract templates and legal guidance. Most people complain to the association, though they could work directly with the Labor Department—we can't accompany everyone personally (laughs). People need to know their rights upfront. The problems stem from lack of contractual awareness and legal literacy—that's critical. Next is working hours, which we're pushing hard on. Film shoots currently run 14 to 16 hours daily, which still happens. I believe everyone is becoming more aware and pushing for change, but what truly helps is legal backing."

On employer accountability, Madeeya stressed: "We need dialogue first—between workers, the association, production houses, broadcasters, and capital investors. We must reach agreements, like telling employers, 'We can't sustain this workload,' and jointly establishing standards. The Labor Ministry is ready to support these efforts."

On July 4, 2025, Regional Task Force 3 Commander Pol. Lt. Gen. Songprod Sirisukha led a team including Deputy Commanders Pol. Col. Detcho Sosuwannakul, Pol. Col. Prinyah Klinkaset, and Pol. Col. Chinawut Tangwonsaless, along with station officers, to conduct a stakeout at a Thai massage shop in Nong Prue subdistrict, Bang Lamung district, Chonburi province.

International law enforcement agencies had provided intelligence on the suspect, a 45-year-old South Korean national named Kim, who was hiding in the Pattaya area under an international warrant. He is accused of operating an illegal call center gang and managing multiple online gambling websites including Shinseae, LIGHT, Gangnam, Bangatkan, and BLUE that offered services such as baccarat and slots, victimizing numerous users in South Korea.

Investigators determined that Kim frequented the massage shop, so officers conducted a stakeout. When a man matching Kim's description entered the establishment, officers presented the arrest warrant and notified him of temporary revocation of his residence permission. They then escorted him to a nearby residence where they discovered multiple computers.

Initial inspection revealed the backend management system of the gambling website, displaying user account information and agent IDs such as mid777, mia777, and akka1111. Investigators found records of total bets placed, the margin between bets and winnings, and rolling transaction volumes. Evidence suggests Kim generated approximately 124 million baht in annual revenue from managing the gambling websites.

Authorities seized all computers for further investigation and analysis. Kim was transferred to the Criminal Investigation Division for legal proceedings and extradition handling.