Actor Arak Akaratthaya attended the second day of the funeral ceremony for Ray McDonald at Wat Yang Royal Temple, opening up about their bond and the inspiration McDonald provided over their years of working together on travel and entertainment projects.

Akaratthaya recalled first meeting McDonald while filming the movie "O.T. Overtime," which led to opportunities to work together on various projects. When McDonald was starting a new travel show focused on mountains called "Climb," he contacted Akaratthaya to be the host, though McDonald himself preferred the ocean. "Ray has always been my idol since I started in the entertainment industry," Akaratthaya said. "When I saw him on television, I thought he was cool, but seeing him in person on set and working with him was truly amazing."

Akaratthaya credited McDonald as an inspiration for his approach to both performance and travel. "Through working with him on the 'Climb' series, which had three seasons spanning about three years, I learned so much by watching him. He was incredibly dedicated to his work and his life path," Akaratthaya explained. "He was someone with a clear sense of direction, not swayed by modern trends or social media. He chose his own way of living and it made him happy."

While Akaratthaya never formally sought advice from McDonald, he described learning through example. "I didn't consult him, but he was a role model through his actions—both in his acting and travel work. I recently learned he never formally studied acting, yet he approached each role with such sincerity and authenticity. That genuineness in his character work translated to everything he did." Akaratthaya acknowledged the loss of McDonald as part of a difficult year for the travel community, noting the show ran for three seasons and he spent considerable time working alongside him.

Police have arrested a man following an incident at Benja Siri Garden. The suspect, identified as Thawisak Pun-ngam, was taken into custody on suspicion of intentional killing and remanded to Bangkok South Criminal Court. Investigators are opposing bail, though no relatives have come forward requesting his release.

When questioned about the incident, Thawisak initially declined to comment but later admitted to a quarrel with the victim. He claimed the man was mentally unstable and that throwing him into the water was necessary to help him recover from his deranged state. When asked why the victim suffered from mental disturbance, Thawisak said he did not know what had stressed him but described him as someone who "doesn't understand things when he's unstable."

Police questioned Thawisak further before his court appearance. The suspect revealed that the quarrel was not about money but stemmed from his disapproval of the victim's inappropriate behavior toward tourists at the garden. He stated he did not want the victim returning to stay in the area, and suggested others present could provide details about the alleged misconduct.

The incident occurred on the night of August 21 around 10:30 p.m. when officers received a report of someone in the water. A diving team from a foundation was deployed to search. CCTV footage showed a quarrel by the water's edge followed by the victim being pushed in. The footage indicated the victim was beaten unconscious before being thrown into the pond and drowning, after which the suspect fled the scene.

A well-known snooker player died after his motorcycle was struck by a truck on Kanchanapisek Road. Police are reviewing CCTV footage and searching for the truck driver. At 4:42 a.m. on August 22, Phetchkasem Police Station received a report of a motorcycle hit by a truck on Kanchanapisek Road inbound (between the Phetchkasem and Bang Kholuad elevated junctions) in Bang Khae district, Bangkok. Officers and volunteers from the Ruamkatanyu Foundation responded to the scene near the second Tub Tim Shrine, close to the Phraya Charoen Canal bridge, and found a motorcycle overturned. The victim, Worravit (surname withheld), 60, known as Tek Hua Hin, a professional snooker player, was found with torn clothing and severe head injuries and brain trauma. Officers collected evidence at the scene and transported the body to Siriraj Hospital while checking CCTV footage to track the truck involved and proceed with legal investigation.

The owner of Hawell's, a Thai ice cream brand, has announced the sale of the business for 165 million baht and plans to leave the secular world. He revealed the most important reason behind the decision and outlined six assets to be transferred to the successor.

On August 22, 2025, the Hawell's Facebook page posted an announcement seeking a successor to take over the Hawell's Ice Cream business with a recommended investment of 5 million baht.

Dr. Siripong Akkasriyuk, chairman of Hawell's International Company Limited, apologized to customers that the brand has been unable to open branches near their homes.

Over the past two years, the company attempted to contact shopping malls to open branches, but malls responded that they had no space for Hawell's despite having vacant areas left by departed tenants. No matter how many times they contacted, they received the same answer.

Opening standalone stores would require significant investment. While the company once planned to open small franchises, after careful consideration, it was deemed more problematic and potentially damaging to the brand in ways that could not be recovered.

The most important reason, however, is that he and his family have only two years remaining, during which there will not be enough time to expand branches nationwide and internationally.

Given the time constraint, the owner decided to find someone passionate about ice cream with the capability to take over the business, as Hawell's already has everything needed to compete with all ice cream brands.

The soft ice cream flavor is intensely creamy, believed to be unmatched by any other brand. Once placed in a shopping mall, the brand gains regular customers steadily because competition ultimately comes down to taste. Once customers taste delicious ice cream, returning to inferior alternatives becomes difficult.

Regarding hard ice cream, Hawell's has developed a new formula that is dense, smooth, chewy, and soft with minimal air incorporation, matching the quality of Häagen-Dazs but sold at prices lower than Swensen's. The company has developed 100 flavors and, given equal shelf space, is confident customers would choose Hawell's for its premium taste at exceptional value.

With a capable successor, expanding Hawell's nationwide and internationally should be feasible, especially since the company owns the licenses and intellectual property, avoiding expensive imported raw materials. Hawell's has earned customer trust in quality for over 25 years.

Media outlets have given the brand credit and followed its developments, recognizing Hawell's not as a new brand but as one with potential ready to reclaim the top position in customers' hearts.

Assets to be transferred to the successor:

- Land: 7 rai in Bang Bua Thong valued at 100 million baht - Office building and factory with machinery and factory license valued at 40 million baht - Hawell's Ice Cream and Fast Food shop valued at 6 million baht - Hawell's brand (trademark) - Complete know-how accumulated over 37 years - All ice cream formulas for both soft and hard ice cream

Total value of all assets transferred: 165 million baht. This figure does not include any profit margin.

Thailand's men's national football team will take the pitch on August 22, 2026, for the 2026 ASEAN Cup final, defending their title against Vietnam at Rajamangala Stadium at 8:00 PM.

The 2026 ASEAN Cup final schedule is as follows:

First Leg – Saturday, August 22, 2026 Thailand vs. Vietnam 8:00 PM Rajamangala Stadium

Second Leg – August 26, 2026 Vietnam vs. Thailand 8:00 PM Vietnam

Fans can watch the match live for free through: - TrueVisions Now app - True Sports 2 - True Ball Thai 1

On August 22, Prom Porn Nopruetthi, former spokesman of the Pheu Thai Party, addressed the flooding situation in Nan province, noting that although many areas are entering recovery, residents remain in distress. Homes, roads, vehicles, agricultural land, and shops have sustained damage, with three deaths reported. He stressed the need to accelerate both relief and recovery so residents can return to normal life and livelihoods as quickly as possible, and said the disaster must serve as a lesson for other at-risk areas to prepare before damage occurs.

Satellite data from GISTDA on August 21 at 09:29 identified high-risk areas across river basins in Sukhothai, Phichit, and nearby regions, covering more than 3,900 square kilometers. The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department was instructed to closely monitor Uttaradit, Sukhothai, and Phichit. Prom Porn called for three urgent government actions:

1. Sustained assistance in Nan: Relief must not diminish as floodwaters recede. Authorities must aggressively survey and repair homes, shops, roads, utilities, and farmland, while managing mud, waste, and public health risks. Documentation procedures should be streamlined, and low-interest debt relief and loans should be considered for farmers, business owners, and affected families. Rather than requiring flood victims to chase paperwork across multiple agencies, the system should bring services to the people.

2. Preparation in the three northern provinces: When GISTDA data identifies at-risk areas, the state must act before flooding occurs. Provincial and local authorities must map water channels, identify vulnerable locations, prepare evacuation routes, and locate homes of elderly, ill, and disabled residents. Pumps, vehicles, boats, food, medicine, and shelters must be pre-positioned. Early warnings must reach villagers before water arrives, clearly explaining which areas are at risk, when to evacuate, where to go, and whom to contact. Warnings should allow residents time to secure belongings and move families to safety.

3. Information reaching people before water reaches homes: While the government has established coordination centers and deployed multiple agencies, success depends not on how much data exists or how many centers are set up, but on how quickly that data is converted into action. All agencies must use the same information and clearly know their responsibilities. Local community knowledge is vital—residents know best where water flows fastest, which homes shelter vulnerable groups, and which evacuation routes actually work. Satellite data is most valuable when it reaches field staff and warnings reach residents before floodwaters arrive.

Prom Porn added that while Nan must focus on recovery, Uttaradit, Sukhothai, Phichit, and other at-risk areas must prepare. Flooding cannot be stopped, but losses can be reduced with early knowledge and timely warnings. Water management success is not measured by the number of data sets or coordination centers, but by whether information reaches the public in time, how quickly people receive help, and how much loss is actually prevented.