BANGKOK: Despite optimism around the US-Iran ceasefire and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, it will take time for jet fuel prices to return to pre-crisis levels and airfares could remain high for longer than passengers expect, says the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Actor Bank Sriram has been working at a grueling pace with little rest, drawing worry from his fanbase. He has occasionally experienced moments of mental blur while performing, but remains vigilant and capable of handling unexpected situations on stage. Bank recently attended a press conference for the "2569 Teacher Respect Ceremony of the Srirarm Nampeach Troupe" at Deja Vu the Restaurant in Phu Man King Power Hotel, where he spoke about his demanding schedule. When asked about his sleep, Bank acknowledged that everyone worries about how little he rests. "Everyone is concerned about when I sleep," he said. "I try to sleep so everyone feels at ease, then I wake up and continue working. Rest is really important, especially as I'm getting older." He explained that with multiple performances daily and early morning calls, he sometimes sleeps during travel. Bank confirmed he has experienced moments of disorientation, though not frequently. "There are rare instances where I feel slow, but I'm aware of it and know I need to rest," he said. When asked if he has ever forgotten his lines on stage, Bank admitted it happens occasionally. "Sometimes at any level, people forget their lines, but not often for me. I just suddenly blank out, but I can handle those situations." He described instances where he has smoothly improvised his way through by remembering subsequent verses instead of the one he forgot, allowing performances to continue seamlessly. He praised his fellow performers for their support through such moments and acknowledged the troupe leader's calm demeanor. Bank expressed deep gratitude to fans who traveled from other provinces to see performances and donated funds to support the group. "It's so heartwarming," he said. "Fans come from different provinces to watch us and take that happiness home with them."

On July 2, 2569 at 9:30 AM, the House Committee on Anti-Corruption and Anti-Misconduct, chaired by Asaploet Sanntriiphop, a Pheu Thai MP from Sisaket, convened to examine state officials' involvement in civil service and local government recruitment examination fraud. The committee summoned Deputy Commander Jarunyakiart Paankaew of the Central Investigation Police and investigating officers to brief them on the case.

Asaploet revealed that the committee invited police officials involved in both the local examination fraud case and the arrest of the Phuket provincial official. The committee will question the progress of the investigation, including audio recordings. Following today's briefing, the committee will reconvene next week and summon related agencies including the Department of Local Administration, examining universities, and will review findings from the Interior Ministry.

When asked whether authorities can ultimately identify the masterminds, Asaploet stated that the committee is concerned about the case's progress and invited the Central Investigation Police to provide additional details about their investigation and current findings. Public attention focuses on ten civil servants arrested in Nonthaburi and who the principal offenders are, as local examination fraud is a serious matter.

Asaploet noted his party has fought this issue since 2023, having previously discussed it with former Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul when he served as Interior Minister. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed in 2567 between the Interior Ministry and five agencies to combat local examination fraud, resulting in the first prosecution in 2569. This confirms Pheu Thai's genuine opposition to such corruption, marking the beginning of dismantling the fraud network.

During a recent Pheu Thai party meeting on June 28, members agreed that regardless of who commits fraud—within the party or any organization—they will receive no protection and cases will be pursued fully.

"Pheu Thai takes this very seriously," Asaploet said. "We will pursue this without selective prosecution, targeting mid-level and high-level offenders. The committee will follow through completely and implement preventive measures to ensure this does not happen again."

When asked about proposals for local authorities to conduct exams instead of the central government, Asaploet noted that corruption exists at both levels. Examples have emerged in Maha Sarakham and Kalasin provinces with convictions of subdistrict administrators. The solution lies not in where exams are held, but in improving procedures and safeguards. He suggested studying how legal, prosecutorial, and judicial exams avoid such corruption, and called for reviewing the draft Local Government Personnel Management Act currently before the Senate, which could result in legislative changes.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment partnered with the King Prajadhipok's Institute to advance the Coral Conservation Foundation's initiative, launching Upcycling for Life, which transforms ocean waste into patient turnover sheets. On July 2 at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment headquarters, Natural Resources Minister Suchart Chomklin chaired a ceremony presenting raw materials for producing patient turnover sheets under the Upcycling for Life project to the Thai Marine Coral and Biodiversity Conservation Foundation, operating under a strategic cooperation framework for sustainable marine resource and environmental management. Vice Admiral Suwin Jaengyodsuk, Deputy Chair of the Foundation's Board, accepted the materials alongside senior officials including Dr. Raviwan Phuridech, Permanent Secretary of the Natural Resources Ministry; Dr. Pinsak Suratsawadee, Director-General of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources; and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Isara Srivattanawuthi, Secretary-General of the King Prajadhipok's Institute, along with administrators, SEPEM Class 15 students from the Lion Group, and partner agencies.

Dr. Raviwan Phuridech, Permanent Secretary of the Natural Resources Ministry, stated that this project exemplifies converting marine waste into societal value following circular economy principles, transforming PET plastic bottles and discarded ocean materials through knowledge, technology, and innovation into beneficial products for patients and medical personnel. "The patient turnover sheets produced from 100 percent upcycled recycled materials have body-supporting properties, reduce friction, minimize pressure ulcer risks, provide excellent ventilation, offer durability and strength, and reduce caregiver burden when moving patients. This innovation demonstrates that environmental conservation can create tangible improvements to people's quality of life. The sheets will be distributed through provincial public health offices to bedridden patients." The raw materials result from collaboration across sectors, including waste segregation by Natural Resources Ministry staff following Green Office guidelines, beach and rivermouth debris collection from critical ecosystems, and discarded fishing nets from coastal communities. These materials were sent to a waste bank at a school under Tha Kham Subdistrict Municipality in Chachoengsao Province for students to learn about waste segregation and resource value before private companies transform them into patient turnover sheets for medical use.

Dr. Pinsak Suratsawadee, Director-General of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, noted that plastic waste in the ocean poses a significant environmental challenge affecting ecosystems, tourism, and coastal communities. Field investigations revealed many bedridden patients lacking quality medical equipment due to high costs. "Upcycling for Life serves as a model for creating new value from resources deemed worthless, reducing environmental problems while improving patient and caregiver quality of life, reflecting the collaborative power of government, private sector, academia, and civil society in conserving marine resources and advancing national sustainable development," the director-general said.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Isara Srivattanawuthi, Secretary-General of the King Prajadhipok's Institute, praised SEPEM Class 15 Lion Group students and all program staff for continuing the Institute's spirit of extending impact beyond campus.

Bangkok, 2 July 2026 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is reinforcing Thailand’s low-carbon tourism direction through its Carbon Footprint Hotels (CF-Hotels) platform, which has won the Green Leadership category at the Asia Responsible Enterprise Awards (AREA) 2026 in Malaysia.

Mr. Kittipong Prapattong, TAT Deputy Governor for Digitalisation, Research and Development, said, “This award reflects TAT’s role as a system orchestrator for sustainable tourism, connecting digital data, carbon management, market incentives, and green finance in one practical platform. CF-Hotels enables hotels to take measurable action, strengthen competitiveness, and contribute to TAT’s direction in advancing quality tourism that creates long-term value, while supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and aligning with the Paris Agreement.”

Organised by Enterprise Asia, AREA 2026 recognises organisations in Asia for outstanding performance in social and environmental responsibility and sustainable development. The ceremony, held on 26 June, brought together leading regional organisations and key figures in the sustainability sector.

CF-Hotels serves as a practical model for turning sustainability policy into business action. Developed for hotels and accommodation providers across Thailand, the platform helps operators measure, manage, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through a standardised digital system, while linking carbon performance with market opportunities and access to green finance.

The platform gives accommodation businesses, particularly SMEs, free access to internationally aligned tools for greenhouse gas data collection and assessment. It also connects environmental data with green finance opportunities through cooperation with the Bank of Thailand and nine commercial banks under the “Financing the Transition” initiative.

CF-Hotels further supports hotels in moving towards international sustainability standards, including ISO 14064-1 and GSTC-related frameworks. This helps make carbon management more accessible, commercially relevant, and connected to future market access.

Since becoming publicly active in 2024, CF-Hotels has expanded from 21 pilot hotels to more than 900 registered hotel accounts nationwide. Participating properties have recorded greenhouse gas reductions of 16,838.79 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, comparable to planting more than 1,202,770 mature trees. The project has also mobilised more than 29.3 million Baht through the ThaiCI Fund to support low-carbon transition.

The post TAT’s CF-Hotels wins Green Leadership award at AREA 2026 appeared first on TAT Newsroom.

Pailin Vongsa, known as Bam, has officially entered the Miss Universe 2026 pageant, beginning with the Maha Sarakham-Sakon Nakhon 2026 regional stage. She is assigned contestant number 7, with the final competition scheduled for July 4. The move follows Miss Universe Khon Kaen's announcement terminating her candidacy after discovering she had registered for pageants in other provinces while still maintaining her status as a Khon Kaen competitor.

On July 2, Bam posted a video from Robinson Sakon Nakhon during pageant activities, captioning it "My number this year is 7." She previously shared her ambitions for the Miss Universe 2026 stage, stating: "Bam's goal is to walk on the big stage, carrying the dreams of my mentor, my family, and my fans into the Miss Universe 2026 competition starting with Maha Sarakham-Sakon Nakhon 2026." The competition runs July 2-3 with finals at Imperial Hotel Sakon Nakhon on July 4 at 5 p.m. Fans have been actively supporting her candidacy online.