Central Pattana Public Company reported strong and continuous growth in second-quarter 2026 results, with combined revenue of 13.105 billion baht, up 8%, and net profit of 4.75 billion baht, up 10% from the previous year. The strength came from the company's core shopping mall business, which continues to grow steadily. The company also delivered consistent returns to shareholders while maintaining a strong financial position with improving debt-to-equity ratios. In the second quarter, it paid a record dividend of 2.40 baht per share. Central Pattana is advancing its expansion plans with the opening of two key landmarks—Central Khon Kaen Campus and Central Northville—reinforcing its leadership in urban development and driving Thailand's economy under the concept of "The Ecosystem for All," which connects growth across all sectors. The company has also received recognition from global award platforms, winning two major awards at Retail Asia Awards 2026 for the third consecutive year. Napharat Srivarnvitya, Chief Financial Officer and Senior Executive Vice President of Finance, Accounting, and Hotel and Office divisions, stated that second-quarter results reflect the strength of the core business, which has set new revenue records for the fourth consecutive quarter. This is driven by the opening of new shopping centers, upgrades to existing ones, and adjustments to tenant mix to meet consumer needs, resulting in increased foot traffic and growing retail sales through efficient portfolio management. The opening of two new shopping centers—Central Northville, which drives growth in a high-potential city, and Central Khon Kaen Campus (opened May 20), which complements the lifestyle of younger generations and adds vibrancy to the education and economic hub of the Northeast—marks a significant milestone. The Phyll Khon Kaen condominium received overwhelming response with 100% sell-out in just three days during presale, generating over 1.6 billion baht in sales, reflecting the strength of quality projects in prime locations. The success extends to the GO! Hotel business in Khon Kaen Campus and Nakhon Sawan, leveraging prime locations adjacent to shopping centers that cater to tourists, office workers, and young travelers seeking comprehensive convenience. Response has been strong since opening. By the end of the second quarter 2026, Central Pattana will operate 45 shopping malls (43 Central Department stores—17 in Bangkok and vicinity, 25 in other provinces, and 1 in Malaysia under Splanade and Mega Bangna), 16 community malls with a total net rentable area of 2.4 million square meters, along with 11 office buildings, 13 hotels, and 52 residential projects, both high-rise and low-rise.

The Cyber Police Division Region 4 launched an educational campaign at Reinachelle College in Chiang Mai on August 10, targeting children and youth with its Cyber C.A.T. (Children Assistant Team) initiative. Over 1,100 students in grades 4 through 12 attended the program, which focused on identifying current online threats such as social media deception, impersonation of government officials, fraudulent investment schemes, counterfeit online purchases, money mule recruitment, and phishing via fake links and SMS messages.

According to Pol. Lt. Narwatana Khamphilo, Deputy Commander of Region 4, young people face particular risk due to their heavy engagement with technology and online media, making them vulnerable to cyber criminals or unwitting accomplices in illegal activities such as opening shell bank accounts or spreading unlawful content. The Cyber C.A.T. program aims to equip youth with knowledge, understanding, and defensive skills while fostering digital citizenship, media literacy, and safe technology use. The initiative also recruits student volunteers to serve as cyber safety networks within their schools and communities.

Pol. Lt. Narwatana urged parents and youth to remain vigilant against constantly evolving online threats and to follow the principle "Don't believe, don't rush, don't transfer money." Those encountering suspicious or fraudulent online behavior are encouraged to report it to cyber police immediately. He emphasized that awareness and skepticism are key defenses: "Know the scam, don't fall for it, don't lose money" will help Thai youth stay safe in the digital world. The Cyber Police will continue similar educational activities to build cyber resilience in the next generation.

Secretary-general Ekkapon Planavy of the Football Association of Thailand has notified all professional football league clubs, match controllers, and referee development directors to prioritize the safety of players, team staff, referees, officials, and spectators during thunderstorms and lightning. The Football Association has established protocols for all professional matches: (1) Match suspension and safety measures apply when lightning is observed and the time between seeing lightning and hearing thunder is 30 seconds or less. Referees and match officials must halt play temporarily and evacuate players, team staff, referees, and officials to sheltered or safe areas, while spectators move to designated refuge zones. (2) Continuous weather monitoring and resumption procedures require referees to work with match controllers and officials to assess weather and safety conditions before allowing play to resume. (3) If severe weather persists for more than 60 minutes total, match controllers and referees must follow competition regulations for force majeure situations to determine whether to resume or terminate the match. (4) Home clubs must prepare shelter areas for players, staff, and spectators, establish evacuation procedures, and ensure efficient communication systems. All clubs and personnel must strictly adhere to these guidelines with player safety, match officials, staff, and spectator safety as the highest priority.

Reporters visited Dan Khun Thod Subdistrict Municipality in Nakhon Ratchasima to investigate allegations of fraud in local civil service recruitment exams after discovering that some newly hired local government officials have names appearing on a list of suspected exam cheaters. Nakhon Ratchasima province has identified 152 individuals suspected of involvement. On-site verification confirmed that the officials in question continue working normally, though they declined to comment. Municipality superiors confirmed that staff members linked to the exam fraud allegations remain at their posts. Officials say they must await formal lists and orders from the central government before taking further action. The municipality noted that it does not have visibility into the original recruitment process, as it only receives candidates from above. However, if the municipality receives official confirmation of fraud involvement, it will proceed with appropriate measures and can promote the next candidate on the list to fill the position.

Kasetsart University's Kamphaengphaet campus in Nakhon Pathom Province held its Mother's Day rice-planting ceremony on August 7, 2025, with Arthawut Phuengniam, Deputy Governor of Nakhon Pathom, as the official opener. The event attracted over 5,000 participants from government, private, and local administrative sectors, reflecting collective commitment to preserving Thai agricultural heritage while advancing sustainable farming knowledge.

The ceremony began with a tribute ritual and rice-blessing ceremony before participants planted Rice Berry rice—a dark purple variety with high antioxidant content developed by the university's Rice Science Center—across 13.5 rai of farmland. This represented the 21st consecutive year of the project, honoring the late Queen Sirikit and Mother's Day while integrating university agricultural research with traditional Thai farming wisdom in line with the philosophy of sufficiency economy and new theory farming.

Rice Berry was selected for its exceptional nutritional value and international recognition as a research application with genuine social and economic impact. The project integrated cooperation among the university, provincial and local authorities, educational institutions, private entities, and communities to preserve farming traditions, strengthen farmer livelihoods, and promote environmentally friendly agriculture. The university also emphasized research into rice varieties resilient to climate change, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from rice cultivation while enhancing food security in alignment with Thailand's transition toward a low-carbon society and sustainable development goals.

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ekniti Nithithamonthon has announced progress on the clean energy transition plan funded by 200 billion baht from a 400 billion baht borrowing decree. Beyond supporting rooftop solar installations for the public, a portion will be used to convert public transport vehicles to electric vehicles. Ekniti has assigned Finance Ministry Permanent Secretary Lawon Saengsan to oversee and guide the initiative, with the Finance Ministry prioritizing public transport vehicles first because they have high system usage and broad public impact.

The project aims to remove old vehicles that emit PM2.5 and carbon dioxide from circulation, helping reduce energy consumption and air pollution comprehensively. Old vehicles will undergo deregistration with details to be discussed with the Transport Ministry. The transition will cover vans, taxis, buses, and provincial buses across all regions.

For managing scrapped vehicles, discussions with the Industry Ministry are underway to identify qualified companies and public agencies capable of vehicle dismantling. Private sector discussions have shown that private firms already have standardized vehicle recycling systems and could take a lead role in dismantling and processing old vehicles. Biodiesel B20 vehicles are also under consideration to reduce agricultural sector impact and domestic fuel dependency. The government is also exploring a vehicle trade-in program for new vehicles.

The Finance Ministry and the Revenue Department are currently coordinating with the Industry Ministry to address remaining implementation issues. The existing EV 3.5 subsidy measure remains in place, offering approximately 50,000 baht per vehicle. However, the primary focus will be on converting public transport vehicles to electric before other categories, given their broad impact. Detailed budget allocation has not yet been determined.