Asset World Corp (AWC), Thailand's leading real estate developer, is advancing its Chao Phraya riverfront destination portfolio by transforming the current River Garden site into an ultra-luxury hotel operating under the global Plaza Athénée brand. The project, valued at approximately 2.9 billion baht, will feature an 18-storey building with 146 rooms and over 20,000 square meters of space, with an expected opening in 2028.

The hotel will offer a comprehensive experience spanning luxury accommodation, wellness, dining and beverages, and lifestyle services, creating a new dimension to riverside travel. River Garden is part of the "AWC Riverside Journey" initiative, which aims to connect multiple destinations and experiences along the Chao Phraya River, linking historic sites, cultural landmarks, and contemporary lifestyle experiences to showcase Bangkok's charm through its waterway.

Currently, AWC Riverside Journey encompasses 11 lifestyle destinations along the Chao Phraya, including Asiatique The Riverfront, The Hotel Plaza Athénée Bangkok, The Ritz-Carlton Bangkok The Riverside, as well as cultural districts such as Thonburi, Yaowarat, and Noi Noi, alongside landmarks like the Grand Palace, Wat Arun, Wat Po, and Chinatown. The concept uses a co-living lobby design as a key connector to facilitate interaction among visitors and destinations through gathering spaces and riverside views.

Wallapa Triyosorus, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of AWC, stated that the Chao Phraya River is the heart of Bangkok, connecting people, communities, history, and culture. The AWC Riverside Journey draws inspiration from these values to showcase Bangkok and Thailand's charm to the world, weaving together historical, artistic, cultural, and community narratives with the distinctive experiences of each destination.

The Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) is inviting farmers and customers nationwide to express their love through savings with the Mother's Day Savings Lottery campaign. Customers can deposit savings certificates via BAAC Mobile from now through August 31 and receive gifts while standing a chance to win prizes every month.

On August 12, Paisal Hongtong, Vice Manager of BAAC, announced the special Mother's Day campaign titled "Mother's Day Savings Lottery." The campaign encourages farmers and customers to celebrate Mother's Day by depositing any of BAAC's savings certificates. These include the Gold Piggy Bank certificate at 500 baht per unit with a chance to win 20 million baht monthly, the Silver Piggy Bank certificate at 100 baht per unit with a top prize of 10 million baht monthly, the Money Bag certificate at 100 baht per unit with prizes worth 100,000 baht each month (900 prizes available), and the Gift Bag certificate at 20 baht per unit with a 6-year deposit term offering 3 baht per unit in interest (2.50 percent annually) plus monthly education grants of 100 prizes.

Customers who deposit via BAAC Mobile can claim attractive gifts based on deposit amounts: deposits of 50,000 baht or more receive a magnetic fiber multipurpose cloth, 100,000 baht and above receive a cute cat Art Toy set of four, 500,000 baht and above receive an Agri Animal Art Toy set, 1 million baht and above receive a cute cat cushion, and 10 million baht and above receive a wheeled luggage bag.

For interested customers, participating in the Mother's Day Savings Lottery is both a savings option and a chance to win rewards through August 31 via BAAC Mobile. Customers can register and submit deposit evidence through a QR code within timeframes and conditions set by the bank. Winners will be announced by September 30 on the Facebook page "BAAC Service with Heart" and the website www.baac.or.th. Each deposit can participate in only one promotion. For more information, contact the Contact Center at 02 555 0555.

Deputy National Police Chief Trirongse Pinpunya, serving as police spokesman, offered legal guidance through his Facebook page after a public debate arose over a homeowner's right to use force against an intruder who was then fatally shot. He noted that police have a duty to investigate any shooting death—to examine the scene, collect evidence, and determine whether the use of force was justified—but this does not presume guilt.

Under the Criminal Code section 68, a person who uses force to defend against an unlawful threat faces no criminal liability if the threat is imminent and the defensive action is proportionate. Conversely, if the threat has already passed and force is used afterward, legal evaluation changes. If the facts show lawful and proportionate self-defense, the person is not guilty. If force was used but exceeded what was necessary, section 69 allows courts to impose a lighter sentence or, if the act arose from shock or fear, no sentence at all.

Pinpunya emphasized that there is no blanket rule—neither "you can always shoot a burglar" nor "you are always guilty for shooting an intruder." The key facts are the circumstances at the moment: was the intruder close, unresponsive to warnings, and posing a believable threat to life, body, or property? Police investigation does not mean police conclude the defender is guilty. When someone dies, officers must document the scene, examine weapons and injuries, conduct forensic tests, review CCTV footage, interview witnesses, and gather all circumstances to understand what happened when the decision to use force was made.

The justice system then evaluates the facts and evidence through each stage—investigator, prosecutor, and if needed, court—before a final determination. The important point is that citizens have a legal right to defend themselves and others; the question is whether that defense was lawful and proportionate in the specific circumstances.

The Department of International Trade Promotion is moving forward to expand the Thai food market in China by partnering with Chinese television to host a Thai cooking competition that promotes the Thai SELECT brand. The campaign leverages key opinion leaders and influencers on popular Chinese social media platforms including Douyin, Xiaohongshu, and Weibo to increase brand awareness, stimulate consumer interest in Thai restaurants, and boost long-term Thai food business opportunities in China.

On August 12, Sunanta Kangwalkulgit, Director General of the Department of International Trade Promotion under the Ministry of Commerce, announced that she has instructed commercial attaches stationed worldwide to accelerate the expansion of Thai products and services in line with policy set by Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Supa Juea Sutthiramphan. The department recently received a report from Prapaporn Srihere, director of the Trade Promotion Office in Guangzhou, China, detailing the successful results of Thai food and Thai SELECT brand promotion activities in the Chinese market, which have increased consumer awareness and driven trial of Thai restaurants and Thai SELECT-branded establishments.

Commercial attaches organized a Thai cooking competition at 1906 Young Town Plaza in Guangzhou to film a special episode of the Chinese television program "Wo Ai Fan Xun Wei" (In Search of Flavor) for Guangzhou Television. The broadcast aims to showcase the appeal of Thai food and Thai SELECT restaurants to reach Chinese consumers widely through television media, while simultaneously generating momentum on China's leading social media platforms. Thai food culture serves as a bridge to create experience and awareness of Thai SELECT among Chinese consumers through entertaining cooking competition content that is easy to understand and fun, allowing viewers to observe Thai cooking techniques, ingredients, and authentic Thai seasonings.

The event was honored by the Consul General in Guangzhou serving as honorary judge, with Thai commercial attaches and officials as judges, alongside Chinese partners including executives from Guangzhou Premium Food Week and management of 1906 Young Town Plaza. Two Thai restaurants carrying the Thai SELECT certification, eight shopping mall representatives, and two trade association representatives participated, reflecting strong cooperation between Thai and Chinese partners in promoting Thai food and restaurants in the Chinese market. The event attracted significant interest from consumers and tourists in the 1906 Young Town Plaza area, bringing Thai food promotion directly to local consumer groups.

The highlight of the event was a Thai cooking competition in television format featuring popular Thai dishes and Thai SELECT-certified products. Thai chefs from Thai SELECT restaurants and Chinese chefs experienced in Thai cuisine demonstrated the charm and unique characteristics of Thai food to Chinese viewers. The competition format not only provided entertainment but also told the story of Thai food through the real experience of competitors and chefs, allowing Chinese viewers to gain deeper knowledge of Thai cuisine beyond seeing finished dishes. Viewers witnessed ingredient selection, cooking methods, and the meticulous attention to creating authentic Thai flavors. By filming the activity as a Chinese television program, the promotion reaches audiences far beyond the event venue.

As of 6 a.m. on August 12, 2025, the Mekong River at Nakhon Phanom's hydrological station measured 11.98 meters—up 15 centimeters from the previous day and just 2 centimeters short of critical level, expected to be reached this afternoon. The municipality has shut all four automatic drainage gates to block backflow that could inundate the city. Water pouring from Bueng Kham province and Laos has overwhelmed agricultural land in Ban Klang district, roughly 28 kilometers from town, flooding over 100 rai of banana, bamboo, and fragrant coconut plantations to depths of one meter and submerging a concrete road for more than three kilometers.

The overflow at the temporary market relaxation zone and OTOP building caused garbage bins, plastic water containers, and vendor tables to float away; traders scrambled to lash down remaining goods. Dawsuwan, 59, grows Deng bamboo shoots across three plots totaling over 30 rai, home to some 200 plants. Since August 9, rapid flooding inundated two plots to a depth of one meter; she normally supplies 50 kilograms daily to city markets but received an order for 2,000 kilograms today—a demand her remaining unaflooded plot may not meet, risking substantial income loss.

Buenchareun Prombut, 67, village headman of Ban Klang, attributed the flooding to rapid upstream flows and heavy local rain, which caused the Mekong to overflow steadily over two to three days, reaching depths of one to 1.5 meters in places. Lao merchants from across the border, who normally trade forest goods such as rodents, squirrels, mushrooms, and insects, now find the Lao side equally flooded; goods left in the market buildings drift on the water awaiting recovery by boat.

In Si Songkhram district, the Songkhram River began overflowing on the afternoon of August 11, particularly at Tha Bo Songkhram and Pak Un villages, flooding eight to ten riverside homes with water depth averaging 50 centimeters to one meter. Sub-district officer Kornkarn Kaewdee led health workers, village leaders, and flat-bottomed boats to deliver emergency supplies and comfort victims, with emphasis on waterborne disease prevention for the elderly, children, and those requiring special care until conditions return to normal.

Niwat Cheawiribun, Nakhon Phanom municipal mayor, reported that Mekong levels continue rising steadily. The four automatic pumping stations along the east bank—at Tesapradit Road, Samutbannharn Road, Post Office Junction, and Wat Phi Sri—which normally drain water into the Mekong, have reached capacity. All four drainage gates have been ordered closed. The municipality will deploy long-range pumps and over ten large mobile pumping units from Region 7 Waterworks Authority (Sakon Nakhon) stationed at key points and along the riverbank, ready to accelerate water discharge into the Mekong if heavy rain or backflow threatens the town.

Pon Tha Phra Chan has gone live to clarify a dispute involving a gold amulet coin that has become a point of contention in the amulet collecting community. Social media pages had accused him of swapping amulets, claiming the amulet's owner later discovered the issue and settled the matter for 9 million baht in exchange for not filing charges.

According to Pon Tha Phra Chan, on his birthday around August 5, a customer brought in a large number of amulets for inspection. His staff assisted in checking them. The disputed gold amulet coin was left inside a gold percentage testing machine by a staff member—an error he acknowledged immediately. Upon learning of the mistake, he suspended the employee and contacted the customer to resolve the issue at once.

He expressed shock and regret at the incident, noting the employee had worked with him for 10 to 15 years. When arranging to return the amulets, the customer asked what price he would offer to purchase them, leading to a negotiated sale at 9 million baht—not a settlement to avoid legal action as social media claimed.

Regarding a separate amulet set priced at 2.5 million baht, he acknowledged he could not accurately count the pieces in the set that day because nearly 200 customers visited the shop simultaneously, preventing thorough service.

Pon Tha Phra Chan released an audio clip of his conversation with the amulet's owner, in which the customer stated he held no grudge, had no intention to file charges, understood it was a mistake, and that the matter was resolved amicably. He expressed puzzlement over why the story spread on social media.

He further suggested that the incident may have been publicized by a third party who lost a business opportunity, possibly with intent to damage his reputation.