PHUKET: Andaman Kreuphanich of the Yat Dai Party has won the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation (PPAO) Council by-election for Constituency 4 in Thalang after receiving 3,019 votes as the sole candidate.

Following the viral spread of footage showing a traffic police officer slapping a teenage boy sitting on his motorcycle near Nong Kote Pond in Ban Pet District, Khon Kaen Province, the Ban Pet Police Station has opened an investigation and implemented preventive measures. The victim filed a complaint with investigators on August 3, 2025, and although he could not initially identify the officer by name or unit, he underwent medical examination to document his injuries. A fact-finding committee chaired by Deputy Superintendent Chontharam Nilthamor has been appointed to complete its review within 15 days.

Several officers on duty the night of the incident have been questioned and temporarily reassigned from traffic patrol duties to other station work pending the investigation's conclusion. Preliminary findings indicate the victim was part of a group in the area, though the exact duration of their presence and whether they were creating a disturbance remains under review. Residents in the pond area had called police that evening reporting a group of teenagers gathering to drink alcohol, prompting the officers to check all groups in the vicinity.

Police have implemented new protocols requiring officers to wear body cameras during all inspections and to inform subjects when recording begins. Future arrests will be documented on video, and officers are instructed to request groups consuming alcohol leave public areas unless a violation of alcohol laws occurs. Additionally, any vehicles found non-compliant with regulations will be impounded and prosecuted.

Manit Totsaeng, a local entertainment industry figure, commented on the incident via Facebook, stating that while the Ban Pet police officer's actions—striking the teenager twice until blood flowed—were unjustified, he emphasized that a police officer should not resort to such violence regardless of the circumstances.

The Heliconia Food Festival 2026 Carnival edition drew massive crowds on opening day as food enthusiasts flocked to sample dishes prepared by over 70 celebrity chefs from major Thai cooking competition shows including MasterChef Thailand, Hell's Kitchen Thailand, Top Chef Thailand, Iron Chef Thailand, and Restaurant War Street King Thailand. The festival is organized into themed zones, each featuring signature dishes from the participating chefs and a diverse range of international cuisines—Thai, Chinese, Japanese, French, American, and more—with both savory and sweet options plus beverages. The atmosphere has been electric with fans lining up to taste the chefs' signature menus, enjoying carnival-themed photo opportunities and various activities. Beyond the food itself, attendees have been captivated by a sales competition among the chefs, with results displayed to generate excitement. The Heliconia Food Festival Carnival continues through August 12, 2026, at CentralWorld's front plaza, with updates and special activities available on Facebook at Heliconia H Group.

In the first five months of 2025, Thailand exported pet food valued at 1.425 billion US dollars (44.847 billion baht), up 5.15 percent year-on-year. The United States remains Thailand's largest export market, accounting for 30.22 percent of total pet food exports at 430.84 million dollars, followed by Japan (157.85 million dollars, 11.07 percent), Australia (76.55 million dollars, 5.37 percent), Italy (72.63 million dollars, 5.09 percent), and Germany (65.72 million dollars, 4.61 percent). For the full year 2024, Thailand exported pet food worth 3.276 billion dollars (107.47 billion baht), up 8.15 percent from 2023, maintaining its position as the world's second-largest pet food exporter with a 10.2 percent global market share, behind Germany at 12.1 percent.

Rapidly growing markets in the first five months include France (up 101.46 percent), New Zealand (36.69 percent), the United Kingdom (36.01 percent), Germany (32.25 percent), Australia (25.71 percent), India (19.08 percent), Japan (12.14 percent), and Malaysia (9.12 percent), indicating opportunities in both high-income and rising purchasing-power Asian markets. Nanthapong noted that the key global market trend is "healthy pet–affordable premium" products, where consumers seek high-quality, health-beneficial pet food but also prioritize value, affordability, and clear nutritional benefits amid rising living costs. This presents opportunities for Thai manufacturers to develop premium pet food at accessible prices using Thailand's strengths in raw materials, processing expertise, food safety standards, and market-responsive production. Growth opportunities exist in high-protein formulas, vitamin and mineral supplements, immunity-boosting products, digestive-friendly food, senior pet nutrition, cat-specific formulas, and natural or health-claim products, requiring investment in R&D and supply chain verification.

On August 3, Chachoengsao Provincial Police conducted an extended interrogation of 24-year-old Chatchanan, known as 'Fluke,' one of several suspects in a triple homicide and body-concealment case. The Pattaya Provincial Court authorized his release for additional questioning as investigators pursue multiple leads, including reports that the suspect group may be connected to similar crimes elsewhere.

Throughout questioning, Chatchanan maintained that he was involved only in the three-victim family murder and denied involvement in other cases, claiming he is the brother-in-law of another suspect named Ball and was deceived into participating. He showed visible signs of distress and cried repeatedly during interrogation.

Police selected Chatchanan for intensive questioning because they believe him to be the most vulnerable suspect and potentially a source of valuable information. He is also the only suspect able to drive a manual transmission vehicle, which investigators determined was used to transport the victims' bodies to a coconut plantation before the murders and burial.

Authorities are investigating claims that the gang leader, known as 'Pong,' may have committed similar crimes against another victim in Ban Chang district, Rayong in early July, but investigation has found no evidence or witnesses supporting that allegation.

During detention, a tattoo was noted on the back of Chatchanan's neck bearing the phrase 'Demon of Power is Our Thought.'

Following questioning, police will return Chatchanan to Pattaya Provincial Court before transferring him to Pattaya Special Prison for further legal proceedings. The search and recovery operation, which took four days and involved foundation rescue teams, concluded successfully with the recovery of all five bodies. The foundation will arrange transport of the remains to Chachoengsao province for religious rites, expected to occur the following day.

On August 3, a video posted by a popular Facebook page showed a young man on a motorcycle chasing and confronting a female driver at a red light traffic junction. After shouting challenges at the woman and her friends inside the car, he struck the vehicle and broke its windows. The incident allegedly began when the motorcyclist was straddling two lanes while apparently intoxicated, and the female driver honked her horn as a warning. Enraged by the horn, the man pursued her aggressively, spat at her, and when they stopped at a traffic light, he and his companions challenged her to exit the vehicle. When she refused, they smashed both side-view mirrors and fled the scene. The female driver, however, had recorded clear footage of the suspect's face and license plate from every angle. What made the incident particularly notable was that the targeted vehicle was not an ordinary car but a Mercedes-AMG C43 4MATIC Coupe Special Edition—a model with only 120 units produced for Thailand. The specific color variant, Spectral Blue, exists in just 18 examples nationwide, with a launch price of 4.49 million baht. Repairs for such rare limited-edition parts are expected to be extraordinarily expensive.