At 11:30 am on August 18, Deputy Prime Minister Yasothon Wongsadet and Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation gave an interview at Government House regarding a case where the Political Science Faculty at Prince of Songkhla University, Pattani campus, invited personnel from the People's Party to hold a seminar for students. Students who attended were offered 3 activity credits.

Yasothon said he has already spoken with the Permanent Secretary of the ministry and has requested data from the university to verify whether the event was conducted according to proper procedures. He learned of the matter from the media and wants to review more details before making a judgment, but emphasized that intellectual freedom cannot be restricted. His investigation will focus on whether the activity was organized and credited correctly.

When asked about the university's guidelines for such activities, Yasothon stated that such events already have freedom to be held, but if they are tied to course credits, it must follow proper criteria. If done correctly, they can proceed. Content guidelines are determined by each university's charter, overseen by the university council. He asked for clarification from the university first.

Asked whether new regulations would be issued nationwide if the activity was improper, Yasothon said each university has its own procedures and processes. If issues arise, each institution has established protocols. Student groups and faculty groups also have their own processes. The ministry's role is to ensure each university complies with its own charter. However, if anything is found improper, individual universities already have criteria and procedures in place to address it.

A Bangkok-registered passenger van carrying 14 Lao nationals crashed and burned on the Kalasin-Mukdahan Road near Ban Khok Lam in Nong Yai subdistrict, Phon Thong district, Roi Et, around 05:20 on Tuesday, 18 August 2026. The group was travelling to Mukdahan to renew their permits before returning to Laos.

According to a survivor, the driver was speeding at around 140 kph despite being warned by passengers to slow down. The survivor also noticed the driver appeared exhausted, repeatedly nodding off while driving with one hand on the wheel. The van suddenly veered off the road, overturned and caught fire, destroying the vehicle completely.

Two passengers were killed and 12 injured. The wounded were transported to Kuchinarai Crown Prince Hospital and other nearby medical facilities. Phon Thong Police Station is investigating the exact cause of the crash and working to identify the deceased and verify details of the injured.

Energy Minister Eknath Promptpanya announced his choice of Chanthanon Wankhachor as the new permanent secretary of the Energy Ministry on August 18, 2025, at Government House. Eknath explained that Chanthanon was selected because he is a suitable fit for the role, particularly given the ministry's important pending work that requires experienced leadership and a willingness to reform operations. Although the Energy Ministry has several capable deputy secretaries, many have longer remaining tenure; Chanthanon's four-year tenure aligns well with the typical four-year term of a permanent secretary and avoids displacing officers with longer careers ahead.

When asked whether he personally proposed the appointment, Eknath clarified that the minister had already put forward the recommendation, which was then submitted to Deputy Prime Minister Songsakdi Tongsri and subsequently presented to the cabinet following normal procedure. He confirmed that there had been discussions and that while multiple candidates were considered, Chanthanon emerged as the most suitable after careful review.

Eknath dismissed suggestions that the appointment represented a political quota, laughing off the question. Regarding his earlier interest in Nattapol Rangsitpol, the permanent secretary of the Industry Ministry, Eknath acknowledged that Nattapol had been one option since permanent secretaries can be selected from other ministries or equivalent-ranked civil servants. However, he stressed that his focus was on current challenges and future work, not political connections. He noted that whoever is willing to work alongside him to tackle problems is welcome to join, adding that the road ahead will not be easy and requires determination from the team.

A white sedan sideswiped and struck a motorcycle carrying a woman holding her 7-month-old baby on the back seat, according to a video posted on the Facebook page 'Sor Pao — This Needs Attention.' The incident occurred on Phet Kasem Road 69 in Bangkok as the motorcyclist and his wife, who was holding their 7-month-old child, were heading home. The impact sent both riders to the ground in a dangerous collision.

The family has filed an initial police report but expressed concern that the case may be quietly dismissed, and they are seeking advice on how to proceed. A witness at the scene who helped the victims revealed that the driver told them the collision was unintentional and that he had stepped on the accelerator by mistake. The driver apologized to those involved. The witness, who is a customer of the motorcyclist (a chicken vendor supporting his family), felt compassion for the 7-month-old child and wanted the incident to receive proper attention and fair resolution. The sedan driver may not realize that the collision was recorded on video from the witness's vantage point.

PHUKET: Officials have inspected nine motorbike rental businesses in Karon as part of Phuket’s expanding campaign against foreign-linked businesses, despite the provincial government reporting no prior evidence that any of the businesses showed signs of using Thai nominees to conceal foreign ownership.

Tourism Minister Surasak Phancharoenvorrakul announced on August 18 that the National Economic and Social Development Council is finalizing spending conditions for the Thailand Tourism Plus program ahead of its October 1 launch. While the Tourism Ministry has not yet formally submitted the proposal to the cabinet, the council reported progress on the initiative during cabinet discussions, with plans to meet the October 1 deadline while incorporating feedback from the hotel industry, which has requested expedited rollout by September.

The minister said the initial phase budget is 1.75 billion baht, with success potentially triggering further phases to stimulate domestic tourism. He acknowledged some slowdown in domestic travel but noted improvements following energy-related challenges. Foreign visitor arrivals have declined 2-3 percent against a forecast of over 33 million for the year, though the ministry expects a rebound in the final quarter alongside new international airline routes.

When asked about the program's economic impact, Surasak projected spending circulation of at least 5 billion baht across tourism services, hotels, accommodations, and tourism businesses, providing broad-based stimulus across the sector.