On August 4, 2025, at Parliament, Theerachat Tort-rakul, a former Pheu Thai party list candidate and member of the ICT and Revolving Fund equipment subcommittee of the exceptional budget bill review committee, revealed troubling procurement irregularities. Several state agencies have solicited price quotes from companies outside their fields—for instance, one agency requested IT system pricing from a real estate developer, while another sought 50-million-baht valuations from a private firm with zero revenue. These concerns, he said, received no attention from government-aligned subcommittee members, prolonging deliberations and creating tension.

Theerachat cited the Interior Ministry's 77-province fire suppression system project as an example: each province required different specifications and computer room sizes, yet the proposal submitted to the subcommittee contained no details. He alleged the ministry presented two different bid forms—one to the Budget Bureau and another to the subcommittee. He also described a case where a single individual submitted bids for the same project under two separate companies, presenting clear fraud risks, yet all proposals ultimately passed.

During Interior Ministry budget hearings, a deputy permanent secretary confronted Theerachat when he raised concerns about concealed documents, slapping the table and pointing at him in what he called unacceptable conduct. Frustrated by rushed approvals—some projects approved before the secretary even finished reading their names—Theerachat recorded the proceedings on his phone, prompting the subcommittee to call parliamentary police. He called for live-streaming of all budget review sessions.

Theerachat highlighted more examples of misaligned projects: the Energy Ministry proposing a banana-drying oven (supposedly to educate communities on energy transition), and the Land Reform Office seeking meatball-making and sausage-making machines plus lemongrass cutters, which he found confusing. "It's time to overhaul how these budgets are drafted," he said.

Meanwhile, Navy Captain Kitti Phiyawanna, a Pheu Thai list MP and member of the annual expenditure budget committee, noted that the Department of Provincial Administration repeatedly requested overlapping network equipment across projects. Adopting the government's "Cloud First" policy, he argued, would achieve significant savings.

BANGKOK — The family of Thai travel creator Hlun Solo said they will arrange a second autopsy after his body is returned from Georgia before holding funeral rites in Thailand.

In an update posted on Monday evening, Hlun Solo's elder brother said the family plans to send the body to the Central Institute of Forensic Science under Thailand's Ministry of Justice for an additional examination to ensure all procedures are completed thoroughly and transparently.

The family expects the process to take one to two days after the body arrives in Thailand before funeral rites are held at the family's home.

Details of the funeral schedule, including the date, time and venue, will be announced once arrangements have been finalized.

The family also expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support received following the death of the popular YouTuber, who died in Georgia while filming travel content.

They specifically thanked Chulalongkorn University President Wilert Puriwat, Political Science Dean Pakorn Siriprapob, the Faculty of Political Science and the Rural Scholarship Program for offering to host the first night of funeral prayers.

Responding to inquiries from supporters wishing to help, the family said it would welcome donations of equipment and supplies needed for the funeral, including tents, tables, chairs, fans, sound systems, lighting, portable toilets, drinking water and other essential items.

The family stressed that it was not seeking financial contributions but wanted to give those who wished to pay their final respects an opportunity to support the funeral according to their means.

Hlun Solo, one of Thailand's best-known travel content creators, died in Georgia while on a filming trip. The circumstances surrounding his death remain under investigation by Georgian authorities.

At 11:40 a.m. on August 4, 2569, police at Mayo Station in Pattani received a report of gunfire directed at officers outside the Pattani Excise Office, Mayo branch, in Tambon Langa, Mayo District. Officers rushed to the scene to provide assistance.

Upon arrival, the gunfire had ceased. One civilian was found wounded by a single gunshot to the torso and was taken to Mayo Hospital. At the scene, approximately 10 M16 shell casings were collected as evidence.

The building sustained multiple bullet impacts to windows and walls, though fortunately no officers were injured. Extensive blood stains were also found on a marble bench in front of the office.

Investigation revealed that four officers from the Southern Border Provinces Police Operation Center (SBPPOC) in Yala were escorting a suspect to the office for tax violation proceedings related to untaxed cigarette sales in Sai Buri District. The suspect and officers were seated on a marble bench in front when two unidentified gunmen on a motorcycle arrived. One suspect was dressed as a Muslim woman wearing a hijab and carried an M16 rifle. The gunmen fired approximately 10 rounds at the officers before fleeing at high speed.

Following the incident, police deployed units to pursue the suspects and immediately reviewed CCTV footage from the scene and surrounding areas to identify the attackers for prosecution.

Two armed robbers on a motorcycle accosted an elderly fruit vendor in the Ladprao-Wanghin area, brandishing a gun and ransacking his money container on his cart, making off with around 6,000 baht. The incident occurred on August 1 at approximately 10:30 p.m. near the Ladprao temple curve, before Bang Jak petrol station—a dark and isolated location. On August 4, the "Khao Sod" news team met with Nai Cho, a bakery shop owner and good citizen who accompanied the vendor to file a police report.

Nai Cho explained that the vendor regularly stops at his shop around 5:00 p.m., and he often provides him with food and water because the elderly man pushes his cart selling fruit by himself. On August 1, the vendor arrived looking distressed and said he had suffered "bad luck"—he had been robbed. He recounted that around 10:30 p.m., while pushing his cart home on his usual route, two men on a motorcycle wearing black helmets pulled up beside him. The passenger, holding a gun, stood guard while the driver rummaged through the colored container where the vendor kept his money, stealing approximately 6,000 baht accumulated over three days of sales.

Nai Cho noted that the robbers likely had been observing the vendor's behavior beforehand, as he had been selling in the area for a long time and kept his money in the same container—something an ordinary person would not know unless they had been monitoring him. The 6,000 baht represented three days of fruit sales plus extra money customers had given him, such as paying 100 baht for a 50-baht item. The vendor has no bank account, no mobile phone, and cannot read or write, so he cannot deposit or transfer money normally. When customers want to transfer funds to him, they send money to Nai Cho's account, and he gives the vendor cash. After the robbery, Nai Cho took the vendor to file a report, and police are investigating.

Despite his fear following the robbery, the vendor continues selling because it is his only means of livelihood. Nai Cho appealed to the perpetrators: "If you must be a thief, at least have some dignity. Don't rob an elderly man who has no strength to fight back. He would give you anything if you asked." He added that the vendor is so kindhearted that he sometimes lets customers take fruit on credit when they have no money. Nai Cho urged the robbers to stop their behavior and never target the elderly or those unable to defend themselves.

On August 4, Prayut Wattharasin, a Pheu Thai list MP and deputy leader of the Pheu Thai Party, dismissed speculation about forming a red-green-orange coalition government, noting that such arrangements remain based on unconfirmed assumptions across multiple factions. He emphasized that Pheu Thai's current role is to fulfill its duty as the leading opposition force, with all party members mindful of the public's electoral trust. Denying any outreach to potential coalition partners, Wattharasin called the rumors unrelated to Pheu Thai, explaining that submitting no-confidence motions is the opposition's responsibility while other parties' decisions to participate and vote rest with them. When asked about Pheu Thai's position if the government coalition partners discuss terms, he reaffirmed the party's clarity about its opposition leadership role and declined to speculate on future events. However, he stressed on principle that MPs were elected and entrusted by the public, making their campaign pledges a binding social contract to uphold. Regarding government longevity, Wattharasin said he cannot predict the future but the opposition will demonstrate to all lawmakers that prolonging this government harms the nation through declining competitiveness, inequality, and widespread corruption across sectors and levels. "We will do our utmost in that role, and whenever the next election comes, we are ready to present an alternative that will lead the country toward a better future," he concluded.

FETCO Chairman Paibuol Nalintharangkur released the July 2025 Investor Confidence Index, surveyed from July 20–31, showing investor confidence for the next three months at 146.72 points—a "hot" level reflecting optimism about Thailand's capital market trajectory. Foreign capital inflows emerged as the strongest support factor, followed by state economic stimulus measures and listed company earnings.

The biggest risk factors cited by investors were international conflicts, followed by listed company performance and domestic political uncertainty. Foreign investors and brokerage accounts reported "extremely hot" confidence, domestic institutional investors showed "hot" confidence, and retail investors remained "neutral." Banking stocks attracted the most interest, while real estate stocks drew the least.

Throughout July 2025, the SET Index rose nearly continuously before facing selling pressure late month due to corporate earnings concerns and external factors. However, net foreign buying and confidence in Thai economic trends provided support. The SET Index closed July at 1,623.64 points, up 2.04% from the prior month, with average daily trading value at 87,397 million baht. Foreign investors posted net purchases of 48,864 million baht, bringing year-to-date net foreign inflows to 75,864 million baht.

FETCO highlighted key factors to monitor: Thai economic recovery following the Finance Ministry's revised 2025 GDP forecast to 2.5%, foreign investment in target industries, tourism recovery, and Q2 corporate earnings. External factors include U.S. Federal Reserve policy direction, Middle East tensions, oil price volatility, and uncertainty over U.S. trade policy—particularly the planned 12.5% tariff on Thai imports, which could impact exports and competitiveness.