At 10 a.m. on August 19, 2025, at Government House, Deputy Prime Minister Pukorn Nilpraphan chaired a fact-finding and legal committee meeting to investigate the use of central budget emergency reserve funds for the city recovery project following the devastating flooding in Hatyai District and surrounding areas. Attending the meeting were Deputy Interior Minister Worasisith Liangprasit and National Anti-Corruption Commission Secretary-General Phumvisai Kesamsook.

Pukorn stated that following the critical flooding in Hatyai and surrounding areas on November 19-21, 2024, the government declared a state of emergency on November 25, 2024. More than 800,000 people were affected, with numerous injuries and deaths.

The government's immediate priority was providing relief and recovery assistance to flood victims. However, complaints emerged alleging misuse of central budget allocations. Pukorn emphasized that the Prime Minister was not complacent and therefore established this committee to thoroughly investigate the facts and legal compliance of the expenditures. The Cabinet approved 30 million baht in central emergency funds on December 2, 2024, as proposed by the Interior Ministry.

The committee must verify whether implementation followed applicable laws and regulations, and what exemptions from standard procedures, if any, were granted given the urgent emergency status. The investigation aims to clarify all aspects of the budget usage and identify all parties involved.

Nonthaburi Provincial Police have launched intensive training across schools throughout the province, introducing the 'Run, Hide, Fight' programme to prepare for armed attack incidents and raise safety standards in educational facilities. On August 19, Pol. Col. Supchai Srisak, Investigation Chief of Nonthaburi Provincial Police, said he had been tasked by Pol. Gen. Dechraphee Kongdee, Commander of Nonthaburi Provincial Police, to advance knowledge, understanding, and preparedness for emergency response across educational institutions in the province. The programme will conduct active shooter simulations at schools throughout Nonthaburi, passing on survival skills and techniques to teachers, education staff, and students so that everyone can learn the methods, timing, and escape routes needed to respond safely in a genuine emergency. Pol. Col. Supchai stated that the 'Run, Hide, Fight' programme aims to equip education personnel with the knowledge, understanding, and skills necessary to handle emergencies that may occur within schools, building resilience to prepare for potential armed attack scenarios. This is considered a critical life-saving skill and an important responsibility of Nonthaburi Police in preparing for unexpected situations. The training emphasizes teaching teachers and staff to assess situations, recognize hazards, and take appropriate survival action when an incident occurs. The initiative also raises awareness of dangers from illicit drugs and harmful online content, and includes measures to detect and prevent illegal items from being brought into schools.

Charoen Pokphand (CP) and the Pra Baan Luang Foundation are turning a drought crisis into opportunity by developing a high-value agriculture model that lifts the Kok Lam-Sang Arom community enterprise, generates stable income, and connects quality produce to modern retail markets. "Before, we grew field crops with income only once a year, but now vegetable farming gives us monthly earnings," said Angkanarak Kamathip, a representative of the Kok Lam-Sang Arom vegetable farmers' cooperative in Udon Thani province. This reflects the shift from traditional farming to modern agriculture using knowledge, technology, and precise management, boosting output to modern retail chains and lifting household income and quality of life.

The turning point came after severe drought in 2020, when the Pra Baan Luang Activity Promotion and Development Institute, following royal principles, joined with CP's Goodness and Sustainable Community project in Udon Thani and partner agencies to drive the "greenhouse vegetable farming to solve drought" initiative. The program promotes water-efficient, high-yield agriculture and creates stable livelihoods for local farmers. The Kok Lam-Sang Arom vegetable farmers' cooperative now has 28 members, 15 additional growers in the network, and 52 standard greenhouses with average annual production exceeding 12,000 kilograms.

Angkanarak explained that her family has farmed for generations; her mother sold vegetables door-to-door for over 20 years, growing beans, eggplant, melon, mango, sugarcane, and cassava. Through the program, she received mentoring in soil improvement, greenhouse vegetable farming, plot management, drip irrigation systems, and production planning aligned with market demand. She studied other farming areas and applied this knowledge effectively to her own plot.

Shifting from field crops with annual income to high-value vegetables such as kale, green oak, red oak, butterhead, Swiss chard, and royal tomato, Angkanarak and group members now have year-round revenue, financial liquidity to cover household expenses, and funds to support their children's education. The greenhouse system also controls disease and pests, enabling consistent quality output even during rainy seasons.

Beyond production, the project emphasizes market linkage: developing GAP-certified quality, establishing produce collection points meeting Food and Drug Administration standards, and building retail networks with chains like Makro. Over 90% of the group's produce now sells through Makro continuously, with the remaining 10% sold locally and at community markets, ensuring reliable markets, reduced marketing risk, and fair returns.

The program's cornerstone is applying "precision agriculture, careful agriculture, and advanced agriculture" through greenhouses, raised-bed vegetable plots reducing labour for elderly farmers, drip irrigation saving water, and use of red bean compost to boost soil organic matter, reduce chemicals, and elevate safe agriculture.

Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana officially opened the "Future SUPPORT" exhibition at the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles in the Grand Palace Rajadamnoen Building. The exhibition commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Queen Sirikit Foundation for Promotion of Supplementary Occupations and Related Enterprises, honoring the Queen Mother's legacy and showcasing five decades of achievement in job creation, cultural preservation, and bringing Thai handicrafts to global recognition.

The "Future SUPPORT" exhibition traces the foundation's journey from its inception through five decades of work, highlighting its role in creating livelihoods, preserving local wisdom, improving community quality of life, and fostering pride in communities. The exhibition blends contemporary technology with traditional displays to convey the value of Thai handicrafts and their path toward the future. It also celebrates the royal initiatives of Queen Suthida and Princess Sirivannavari in continuing and expanding the late Queen Mother's vision for Thai handicraft arts.

Following the opening of "Future SUPPORT," Princess Sirivannavari visited related exhibitions including "Rachapusitaabhorn Siam" with updated displays, "Siriraj Pastrabrumarachtini," "Thai Costume: From Palace to Popularity," and the traveling exhibition "Itinerant Arts and Crafts." She also toured products at the foundation's retail shop. The "Future SUPPORT" exhibition opens to the public from August 19, 2026, in Gallery 5 of the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles, located in the Rajadamnoen Building of the Grand Palace, Bangkok 10200. For information, call 02-225-9430 extension 140 or fax 02-225-9431.

The Geological Survey Department's Disaster Operations Centre issued an alert on August 19, 2026 warning of landslides and flash floods over the coming one to three days. The department has requested volunteers and the public to monitor conditions in 15 provinces: Nan, Phayao, Phrae, Uttaradit, Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Lamphun, Lampang, Tak, Mae Hong Son, Phitsanulok, Phetchabun, Kanchanaburi, Chanthaburi, and Trat, with heightened vigilance from August 19-21, 2026.

Northern regions under alert include specific districts in Nan such as Pua, Bo Kluea, Tha Wang Pha, and Mae Chrim, and multiple districts across Phayao, Phrae, Uttaradit, Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Lamphun, Lampang, Tak, and Mae Hong Son. Central region areas include Sangkhla Buri and Thong Pha Phum in Kanchanaburi. Eastern areas include Ko Chang and Bo Rai in Trat, and Khao Khitchakut and Khlung in Chanthaburi.

The monsoon trough passing through the northern highlands and Laos, combined with a low-pressure system over northern Vietnam, has triggered continuous heavy rainfall exceeding 200 millimetres in 24 hours, causing flash floods in some areas and increasing landslide risk. Volunteers are asked to maintain continuous rainfall monitoring and alert communities immediately if landslides or flash floods occur, then notify relevant authorities and follow established emergency response protocols.

Phuket — Thai teenage singer Nene Royal flew to the United States with her family on Wednesday to compete in the Live Show round of America's Got Talent on August 25, asking Thais around the world to cheer her on and vote.

Nene Royal, whose real name is Rattikarn Amlai, 16, departed Phuket International Airport on the morning of August 19 with her father Narong Amlai, mother Aom, and younger brother. The family flew Bangkok Airways from Phuket to Suvarnabhumi Airport before continuing to the United States, where Nene will take the stage in the upcoming America's Got Talent Live Show.

The departure was low-key, with no large gathering of fans at the airport. Media members were present to cover the trip and offer their support.

Nene said she was fully prepared for the competition after spending almost the entire day rehearsing. "I will do my best in this competition and ask everyone to cheer me on, especially relatives and supporters in the United States," Nene said. She also asked them to vote for "Nene Royal" and thanked everyone who has continued to follow her journey and send encouragement.

The Live Show is a crucial stage of the competition, where contestants perform before an audience and enter the voting process for a chance to advance to the next round.

Nene said she aims to deliver a stronger performance than in her previous two rounds and hopes to receive support from as many viewers as possible to give her extra energy on stage. Her father, Narong, thanked everyone for their continued support and concern for his daughter, saying he would do his best to look after her throughout the competition.

For this round, the family has used lessons from Nene's previous two performances to plan her preparation, while also keeping a surprise in store for the upcoming competition. Before leaving Phuket, Nene urged her fans to continue sending encouragement and cheering for her. She also reminded relatives and supporters in the US not to forget to vote for "Nene Royal" in this important round.