PHUKET: More than 100 residents of the Pracha Samakkee Community in Koh Kaew gathered at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday (Aug 4) to appeal for urgent intervention after being notified that electricity to their homes could be disconnected as part of a long-running land dispute.

On August 4, 2569, Somphan Saramyut, President of the National Assembly and Speaker of the House of Representatives, announced an official visit to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam from August 5–7. The visit is made at Vietnam's invitation, following earlier visits by Vietnam's National Assembly President and Communist Party General Secretary and President To Liem to Thailand's parliament.

The visit marks the 50th anniversary of Thai-Vietnamese diplomatic relations, a significant milestone in the long-standing relationship between the two nations.

The speaker said this represents an auspicious development following Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul's recent visit to Vietnam to strengthen executive-level cooperation. The Thai parliamentary delegation's visit will build legislative-level ties, reflecting both countries' commitment to parliament's role in promoting mutual cooperation.

The speaker added that to mark the 50th anniversary of Thai-Vietnamese relations, the Thai embassy in Hanoi is organizing commemorative events. The Thai parliamentary delegation will participate in traditional Thai attire to promote Thai identity and culture on the international stage.

During this visit, the speaker plans to meet and consult with Vietnam's National Assembly President, President, and Prime Minister to exchange views and advance cooperation across multiple dimensions including economics, trade, investment, and parliamentary cooperation under international frameworks such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and ASEAN Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA).

"As the legislative branch representing the people, close ties between the parliaments of both countries will be a crucial mechanism to support government-level cooperation and strengthen Thai-Vietnamese relations with greater firmness and sustainability," the speaker said.

Additionally, the speaker plans to visit Hanoi's drug rehabilitation and recovery center to exchange knowledge and experience in management, which will benefit both countries' public policy development. This will also be an opportunity to strengthen legislative-level cooperation to jointly drive development and foster sustainable growth in Thai-Vietnamese relations.

On August 4, 2569, Klose Mos, the brother of Hulun Zolo, posted a progress update on Facebook. He announced that the remains will depart Georgia on August 5, 2569 and are scheduled to arrive in Thailand on August 6, 2569, with travel proceeding as planned. Thai Embassy staff will supervise the transfer at Tbilisi Airport to ensure the process runs smoothly, and will continue coordinating with Georgian authorities. The embassy has formally requested that Georgian authorities expedite the autopsy report and toxicology results to Thailand as soon as possible, as well as the return of personal belongings. Thai volunteers and honorary consular officials in Georgia are closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with relevant agencies. The family expressed gratitude to the Foreign Ministry, the embassy, all officials, volunteers, and everyone who has offered support and followed the case.

A parliamentary anti-corruption committee led by Asuraphon Sannathiraphop from Sisaket visited the Financial Intelligence Unit on August 4, 2025, to discuss measures and policies on combating corruption. The committee posed 23 questions covering foreign nominees, online gambling, and systematic cheating in local civil service recruitment exams.

Financial Intelligence Unit Secretary Thepsu Bowornchotidara confirmed that 200 names suspected of involvement have been forwarded to the National Anti-Corruption Commission as requested. While investigators traced the financial transactions, they cannot disclose individual names due to legal restrictions, though the names are those flagged by central police investigators.

Regarding 5,925 test-takers under investigation, officials said the legal deadline is 120 days, though the actual process takes less time. Asuraphon emphasized that high-ranking officials involved in the scheme have no one to turn to except themselves, and expressed hope they will testify and reveal those above them in the hierarchy. He urged authorities to pursue the case thoroughly and report any financial trails leading to higher-level officials to the National Anti-Corruption Commission.

Dr. Sirikhant Ansonkran, president of Miss Earth Thailand Organization, alongside her daughter Nayploy Narupit, director of the competition, held an official press launch at the InterContinental Bangkok. The event was attended by executives, celebrities including Dr. Koh Teerasak and Tao Teevapol, and media representatives, with DJ Annapol Kittikul and Tom Tosawarot (Mister Earth Air Thailand 2025) serving as hosts.

The 2026 competition operates under the central theme "REBIRTH" and the slogan "One Earth, Many Voices, One Mission," emphasizing environmental conservation and identifying representatives who combine beauty, knowledge, and understanding to create sustainable social change. The competition is supported by numerous national executives and sponsors, including leaders from Nopparat Cosmetic Clinic, Amornphand Villa Resort, Super League, Thai Smile Bus, Chat Cosmetics, the Thai Dairy Promotion Organization, Brilliant Power Company, and Traill International School.

The competition offers prizes and rewards totaling over 1.7 million baht to send winners to serve as environmental ambassadors on the global stage at the Miss Earth pageant in the Philippines. Dr. Sirikhant emphasized that Miss Earth is an international platform focused on environmental issues, requiring contestants to not only present beauty but also possess knowledge, understanding, and the ability to communicate environmental concerns to the public. The "REBIRTH" concept represents not starting from zero, but beginning anew with accumulated experience, knowledge, and deeper understanding to address long-standing environmental problems through collective cooperation.

The National Water Resources Office is investing 210 billion baht in the lower Huay Luang water management project, a critical initiative to solve flooding and drought problems in Udon Thani and Nong Khai provinces. NWRO Secretary-General Chayant Mueangsoong revealed this after visiting the Ban Dan Muang pumping station in Phon Phisai district, Nong Khai province, on August 4, 2025. The project is anchored by the Ban Dan Muang pumping station, which is over 85% complete and designed to manage water flow in two directions. During the rainy season, ten pumps will discharge water from Huay Luang into the Mekong River with a combined capacity of 150 cubic meters per second. During the dry season, the station will pump water from the Mekong back into the system for local storage and use. "Whenever any component is finished, we will begin operating it to help residents immediately, without waiting for the entire project to be completed," Mueangsoong said. He noted that land acquisition and COVID-19 had delayed the project, prompting the National Water Resources Committee to approve an extension through 2025. The extended timeline will cover an additional 20 water-retention pond sites and river improvements to increase total system storage capacity to over 250 million cubic meters, benefiting more than 300,000 rai of agricultural land. The NWRO intends to use the "Huay Luang Model" as a template for similar projects across the northeast. The broader lower Huay Luang basin development project in Nong Khai and Udon Thani is approximately 25% complete and includes the Ban Dan Muang pumping station, 82 kilometers of water-retention dams, and 35 water-retention ponds to manage water for agricultural areas during both rainy and dry seasons. Mueangsoong noted that El Niño is currently reducing rainfall by about 10%, so the NWRO is coordinating daily with the Meteorological Department and the Water Resources Information Institute to assess conditions and manage water through a dynamic curve system. The Irrigation Department has been tasked with maximizing water retention in Huay Luang. Sunton Khamsrimueang, director of Large-Scale Irrigation Construction Office 5 under the Irrigation Department, explained that the area's main challenge is flooding during the rainy season, which prevents farmers from growing rice, while all water drains into the Mekong during the dry season. The project is designed to use the pumping station at the mouth of Huay Luang to control flow and utilize the waterway as the primary reservoir. When the spillway gates are completed, water storage during the dry season will reach 160 meters above mean sea level, representing approximately 138 million cubic meters—enough to significantly ease water shortages for local residents. Thammapong Naowbut, director of the NWRO Region 3 office, stated that the NWRO Region 3 uses the Northeastern Mekong River Basin Committee as the primary mechanism for monitoring and overseeing the project to align with the master water resources management plan, coordinating with the Irrigation Department and related agencies to drive progress. The NWRO is also advancing the master plan for water resources management in the northeastern Mekong basin, covering 15 provinces.