A black-and-white image appeared to show an orangutan cradling an endangered clouded leopard deep in the forests of Sabah, Malaysia — but the viral photo was not only improbable, it was fake, generated by artificial intelligence. This is part of a broader trend of AI-created wildlife images that experts warn poses risks to both animals and humans.

AFP fact-checkers have identified numerous synthetic images of similar quality, ranging from an elephant climbing a tree to escape flooding in Myanmar to a pink dolphin leaping from water in the Philippines. These images are typically accompanied by heartwarming narratives and shared widely across multiple languages on platforms including Facebook, TikTok, and X.

While such images may seem like harmless feel-good content rather than dangerous misinformation, experts caution that highly realistic AI-generated wildlife images depicting animals with pet-like or even human-like behavior can distort public perception of wildlife and undermine conservation efforts.

"This misunderstanding can cause people to approach animals too closely or interact with them in unsafe ways," said Jose Guerrero-Casado, a zoology professor at the University of Cordoba in Spain. He cited a widely reported incident in Xinjiang in northwestern China last January, when a woman was attacked by a rare snow leopard after attempting to get close to photograph it.

China's forestry department increased patrols in the area following the incident and warned the public to maintain safe distances when encountering wildlife.

Conservationists note that AI images portraying wildlife as cute or endearing make it harder for social media users to distinguish fact from fiction and may encourage inappropriate use of wildlife.

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, and TikTok now require users to label AI-generated or significantly altered realistic images. Both platforms say they have tools to automatically detect and label AI-generated content. However, many wildlife posts remain unlabeled despite creators noting in captions that the images are artificial.

Narathiwat Provincial Court has convicted a defendant of destroying a government vehicle belonging to the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) to eliminate evidence in the shooting of Kamalsakdi Liawmaow, a Pheu Thai Party MP from Narathiwat. The court determined the defendant guilty of assisting others in avoiding punishment and destroying, concealing, or losing evidence of the crime, as well as receiving stolen goods for profit. The court initially sentenced him to 10 years imprisonment, but reduced the sentence by half to 5 years after he confessed, with no suspension of sentence. He must also pay compensation to ISOC, which was also a victim. This constitutes significant progress in the assassination attempt on Kamalsakdi Liawmaow. The shooting occurred in March 2025 while the MP was traveling home in Bacho district, Narathiwat. Official investigations have resulted in multiple arrests, comprising five active perpetrators and two suspected masterminds. The perpetrators include former rangers and navy personnel, while the masterminds include an ISOC military officer who allegedly provided the government vehicle used in the attack. Notably, military firearms under state control were also used in the incident. Prime Minister Anuthm Charnweerakul has issued strict orders to control firearms following the school shooting incident that resulted in numerous deaths. Beyond controlling civilian and government official firearms, the premier has also directed relevant agencies to intensify efforts against illegal weapons. However, the southern border situation presents another critical concern requiring serious government attention regarding how to prevent government firearms from being used for violence, as exemplified by the MP case. Therefore, in addition to illegal weapons and civilian-owned firearms, government weapons should also be subject to rigorous inspection.

Singer Eikk Phromsorn was overcome with tears as she came to bid final farewell to her late friend Rain Virulkant, a former RS Records artist who died from illness. On August 16, 2025, Rain's family and close friends gathered for an emotional ceremony filled with tears. Eikk posted photos and video of the farewell, sharing a deeply moving message: "I've come to say goodbye to Rain for the last time. Even though we won't see each other again or look at each other's faces, all the beautiful memories we've shared over 20 years—Rain's voice, her singing, and her bright laughter—will stay in my heart forever. You will be in my heart forever. Love you always." The private family service will be held on August 20 at 6:30 PM at Nimit Mai Church in Phaya Thai, Bangkok, for those who wish to pay their final respects. Fellow entertainers and fans responded with comments and sad heart emojis. DJ Nane and other artists also paid tribute, remembering Rain's bright smile that will remain in their hearts forever.

BANGKOK: A French family spent more than 16 hours floating at sea after their jet ski capsized off Thailand’s Koh Samui island before being rescued, a local official told AFP on Saturday (Aug 15).

PATHUM THANI — A luxury hybrid car worth more than 1 million baht caught fire after being left charging overnight at a townhouse in Pathum Thani province. The incident was reported to the disaster prevention and mitigation unit of Khlong Sam Subdistrict Administrative Organisation in Khlong Luang district at a housing estate in Khlong Sam subdistrict.

Dr. Wirasak Hadda, chief executive of the Khlong Sam Subdistrict Administrative Organisation, arrived at the scene with two fire engines. The property was a two-storey townhouse. Firefighters found a white sedan parked in front of the house with flames rapidly spreading inside the passenger compartment. Firefighters immediately sprayed water to prevent the flames from spreading to the house and neighbouring properties. The blaze was brought under control within about one hour. The driver's compartment was severely damaged by the fire.

The 36-year-old owner said he returned home at around 22:00 on Aug. 15 and plugged the car in to charge before going to bed. At around 08:00 the following morning, a security guard rang the doorbell. When he went downstairs, he noticed smoke coming from the car, although it was not yet heavy. He immediately unplugged the charger, grabbed the car keys and opened the vehicle's door. A large amount of smoke then poured out, as seen in footage of the incident.

The owner initially suspected that excessive heat from the hybrid battery may have caused the fire, but said the exact cause remained unknown. It was unclear whether the incident was caused by a deteriorating battery or a system malfunction. The vehicle's dashboard had displayed no warning signs or error messages before the incident.

The owner said the situation could have been much worse if the fire had spread to the house. He credited his quick response and the firefighters' arrival for limiting the damage to the vehicle. The second-hand car was purchased for slightly more than 1 million baht and had been used by him for about two years. Including its previous owner's use, the vehicle was estimated to be about four years old.

The owner said he had already notified his insurer, as the vehicle was covered by comprehensive insurance. The insurance company had contacted him and begun handling the case. As the incident occurred on a Sunday, he had not yet been able to contact the vehicle's service centre to arrange an inspection and determine the cause of the fire and extent of the damage.

He said he was unlikely to feel comfortable driving the car again, even if it was deemed repairable. He would wait for an assessment to determine whether the vehicle could safely be repaired and returned to service. The owner said he had maintained the vehicle normally, taking it to a service centre for annual inspections and regular scheduled maintenance. He also understood that the vehicle was equipped with warning systems that should display an error message if a problem occurred with the hybrid system.

The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) is inviting youth to enjoy interactive workshops at the 69th National Science and Technology Fair running through August 23 at Impact Muang Thong Thani, Building 11. Suphachai Kunsaetthi, EGAT's assistant governor for research, innovation, and business development, officially opened the EGAT exhibition under the theme "Innovate Power Solutions for a Better Life." The event runs from August 15–23, 2025, with Peeranuch Kanhadilok, director of the Natural Science Academy and Museum, attending the ceremony.

EGAT is sharing knowledge about science, technology, and energy innovation with youth and the public through eight exhibition groups featuring diverse research and innovations: clean energy technology including small modular reactors and floating solar hydro systems; the Energy Savings Label Level 5 program; electric vehicles and charging stations; grid modernization; second-life battery ecosystems; LANDMOS, a real-time landslide monitoring system for Mae Mao Mine; EGAT Ash Nova, which converts coal fly ash into alternative construction materials; and EGAT SCADA X, a digital-era power system control and monitoring innovation.

Inside the EGAT booth, nearly 10 interactive activities and workshops allow children and young people to learn about energy and discover EGAT through play. These include energy bingo, EGAT trivia games, and "Mini Popsicle Flashlight," a hands-on activity teaching electrical circuit principles with the chance to win souvenirs from the ENGY Shop. EGAT's energy exhibition serves not merely as a display space but as a learning and inspiration hub, demonstrating how science, technology, and innovation can build a better energy future and spark young people's curiosity to invent and develop innovations further.