Deputy Prime Minister Yuthasak Sasiprapa has changed plans and is flying directly from Surat Thani to Nan Province to oversee flood relief operations following an urgent directive from Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin issued from Canberra, Australia. Yuthasak, who oversees the northern region and chairs the committee for flood and drought management in the north, will depart Surat Thani International Airport at 1:30 p.m. and is expected to arrive in Nan around 3:00 p.m. to assess the situation in Pua District, which has been declared a disaster zone.

Conditions in Pua District remain tense following severe cumulative rainfall and forest stream flooding that has inundated homes and cut off multiple roads. Authorities are urgently evacuating vulnerable residents to safe shelters. The Deputy PM will coordinate with the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation in Nan Province on rescue and relief operations, and has instructed the provincial Social Development and Human Security Office to assist vulnerable groups in the affected areas.

The Department of Irrigation has been mobilized to provide assistance, including deploying one 24-inch water pump in Muang Nan District and eleven 8-inch pumps in Wiang Sa District. Heavy equipment including seven dump trucks and backhoes have been mobilized to clear waterway obstructions and bridge approaches. The Deputy PM will work closely with provincial authorities and local agencies to monitor the situation and prepare protective measures.

At 9:40 a.m. on August 19, 2025, at Government House, Nirat Pongsitthathaworn, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Interior Ministry and Acting Director-General of the Department of Local Administration, addressed concerns from local administrative organizations about the removal of civil servants who fraudulently passed local government recruitment exams. He expressed confidence that all procedures had been thorough and complete, from the Central Local Government Employee Examination Committee certifying correct scores through to the Central Civil Service and Local Government Personnel Committee's approval.

When asked where all the scores came from, Nirat explained that scores had already been verified by a company contracted with Srinakharinwirot University. The correct scores had never actually been used until the Central Investigation Bureau and the National Anti-Corruption Commission discovered the same record, which then became the basis for the verified scores. Nirat noted that when the matter arose, the Central Investigation Bureau used the same record, which the Department of Local Administration then cross-checked manually and electronically over 10 days, completing four rounds of verification with the same record.

The correct scores would be sent as classified documents from the Central Committee to provincial committees in all provinces. In each province, there are three committees—for subdistrict, municipal, and provincial administrative organizations—scheduled to meet between August 18 and 28. Committee members will see the document score sheets only in closed meetings because they are classified and cannot be posted on social media or disclosed publicly to protect personal information.

Regarding removals from office, Nirat said these would take effect on August 31. He pointed to the example of Lamphun Province, where provincial administrator Weeradet Phuppisit initially expressed concern about not having seen the documents but felt assured after the August 18 meeting. Nirat remarked that what had seemed like a hot issue to local administrators had cooled considerably thanks to careful scrutiny.

Bangkok Mass Transit System Public Company Limited (BEM), in coordination with the Bangkok Metro Public Company Limited, BTS Fire and Rescue Unit, Huay Kwang Fire and Rescue Station, Huay Kwang Police Station, and Bangkok Emergency Medical Services Center (Erawan Center), will conduct emergency management drills to enhance safety standards and prepare for various urgent situations with maximum efficiency. Two drills are scheduled: Friday, August 21, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Rama IX Maintenance Center, and Tuesday, August 25, 2025, from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Rama IX Administrative Building. Residents in nearby areas may hear warning sirens and emergency vehicle sounds. For additional information, contact the Information Service Center at 0-2624-5200.

Venerable Luang Por Jamnian Silasettho, a distinguished Buddhist teacher and vipassana master of Southern Thailand and abbot of Tiger Cave Vipassana Monastery in Krabi province, passed away in Malaysia on August 18, 2025, at the age of 90, having spent 69 years in monastic robes.

Venerable Luang Por Jamnian was born on May 1, 1936, in Tha Rai sub-district, Muang district, Nakhon Si Thammarat province. He pioneered and established Tiger Cave Vipassana Monastery in Krabi province, which became a renowned center for meditation practice and tourism.

His Life and Key Periods:

Youth: He showed interest in meditation and Buddhist studies from childhood.

Establishing Tiger Cave Monastery: In 1975, he founded and developed Tiger Cave Vipassana Monastery in Krabi as a center for vipassana meditation practice.

Social Role: During periods of national conflict, he played an important role in assisting villagers and helping people find safety from various dangers.

Missionary Work: In 2012, he established new monasteries and meditation centers, including Khao Laow Monastery in Ratchaburi province and Rangsee Machchima Monastic Center in Saraburi province.

Final Years: In his later years, he traveled to Malaysia to seek medical treatment and eventually passed away there.

Thailand's National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission, led by Deputy Secretary-General Trairat Viriyasiriwong in an acting capacity, jointly conducted raids with the Technology Crime Suppression Division on August 18 at suspected locations in Bangkok following an investigation into internet infrastructure being used to facilitate technology-related crimes.

The inquiry began when authorities identified fraudulent social media pages designed to deceive Thai citizens. Technical analysis traced the scheme through Thai telecommunications provider IP addresses. Further investigation revealed that the network routed through a server system installed in a data center in Bangkok before connecting to an actual operating point in a neighboring country approximately 10 kilometers from the Thai border. The IP addresses have been linked to more than 60 documented cases of fraud against Thai citizens.

Officers from the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission and the Technology Crime Suppression Division conducted searches and collected technical evidence, traced network connections, and worked to identify individuals or groups involved in weaponizing telecommunications and internet infrastructure for criminal purposes.

This operation represents an interagency effort to intercept telecommunications infrastructure potentially being used to support technology-related crimes, particularly fraud schemes orchestrated from neighboring countries. Authorities plan to pursue further action against all parties involved in accordance with the law.

Thai Prime Minister Anuthín Charnweerakul received an official welcome on his state visit to Australia at 9 a.m. on August 19, 2025 (Canberra time, three hours ahead of Thailand) at Parliament House. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese warmly received the Thai leader before the formal ceremony, which included a 19-gun salute, inspection of an honor guard, and the playing of both national anthems. Following the reception, the two prime ministers held a small-group discussion in a warm and constructive atmosphere, exchanging views on deepening the Thailand-Australia strategic partnership. They discussed matters of mutual importance including economic cooperation, removal of trade barriers, prevention and suppression of transnational and online crime, and shared approaches to common challenges. Both leaders committed to advancing the bilateral relationship and achieving concrete results that benefit their peoples. They then held a full bilateral meeting to explore expanded cooperation across multiple sectors. At 10:45 a.m., both prime ministers issued a joint statement. Government spokesperson Ratchada Thanadirek noted that the visit aims to strengthen the strategic partnership and deliver tangible results in facing shared challenges and creating benefits for both nations. This marks the first official visit by a Thai prime minister to Australia in 14 years and comes ahead of Thailand and Australia celebrating 75 years of diplomatic relations next year. The two countries elevated their relationship to a strategic partnership in 2020 and have continued developing cooperation. The discussions covered four key areas of mutual interest: politics and security, with both sides agreeing to enhance cooperation on traditional and emerging security threats, particularly transnational crime, using existing mechanisms and developing new cooperation.