Piranha fish guarding their eggs bite rescue diver searching for missing person in Mae Klong River, ear partially severed. On August 17, 2025, Chalermpun Hongyant, known as "Koh Yai," chairman of Water Rescue Club Region 7 and a celebrated diver in Kanchanaburi Province, posted a video of a piranha fish on Facebook. His team tested the fish's bite strength by allowing it to bite a water hose. The results showed teeth sharper than a razor blade, which severed the hose easily and generated significant public interest.

Koh Yai explained: "We are investigating the behavior of Mae Klong River piranhas, a fascinating species in this river's ecosystem. This observation helps us better understand their nature and demonstrates the local biodiversity," with many followers commenting on the post.

Koh Yai recounted that he and his water rescue team had been searching for a missing 46-year-old man in Mae Klong River in Tha Pha subdistrict, Ban Pong district, Ratchaburi Province for over 10 days without success. On August 15, the team relocated their search to another area in Phaik Phai subdistrict, Ban Pong district. While diving, Koh Yai suddenly felt pain in his ear as if bitten by an aquatic creature and surfaced immediately. His ear was found to be severely bitten. Suspecting the cause, the team dove together until they found a piranha, confirming it was responsible.

Currently it is piranha spawning season. The fish lay eggs in clear, calm areas with vegetation or rocky crevices, and become highly aggressive during this period to protect their nests. Koh Yai suspects he may have been near the piranha's nest while searching for the missing person.

The Robinson Lifestyle Suphanburi Balance Bike 2026 competition, the third Central Thailand balance bike and cycling championship, was held on August 15–16, 2026 at Robinson Lifestyle Suphanbury in Suphanbury Province. The youth competition was for children aged 1.6 to 9 years and featured a lively atmosphere. In the boys' age group 2.1–2.5 years, Taiga Ishihara won the championship and received the honour cup from Industry Minister Verawut Silpaarchai. Ishihara also claimed third place in the 3.1–3.6 year age group and fourth place in the 3.6–4 year category.

Broker sold villagers’ IDs to register 35 Chinese nominee firmsLegacyThailand’s Department of Business Development has uncovered a suspected nominee scheme in Sakon Nakhon, where a broker allegedly bought copies of villagers’ ID documents to register dozens of companies without their knowledge. The department’s director-general, Poonpong Naiyanapakorn, announced the findings on August 16 after officials inspected company registrations across four districts: Khok Si Suphan, Mueang, Phu Phan and Sawang Daen Din. Officials found 35 companies registered with entirely Chinese shareholders across the first three districts, along with a further 14 companies registered with entirely Thai shareholders in Sawang Daen Din, which are now under review for a possible nominee structure. According to the department, a woman based in Khok Si Suphan district acted as a broker, sourcing copies of house registration documents and ID cards from residents. She offered 500 to 1,000 baht per document set and collected more than 35 sets, which she then passed to Chinese investors in exchange for 1,500 baht per set. Residents said the broker had told them the documents would be used to register an “online business” on a well-known platform. They said they were never told, and never agreed, that their documents would be used to register limited companies. In most cases, the person who handed over the documents was not the homeowner but a family member or resident living in the house, without the homeowner’s knowledge. Officials from the provincial commerce office, provincial administration, Khok Si Suphan district administration, Khok Si Suphan police station and the Internal Security Operations Command’s Sakon Nakhon office inspected every registered address. They found no functioning office, signage or business activity at any site, only ordinary homes still occupied by residents. Every homeowner interviewed said they had never known or agreed to their address being used to register a company. Officials have advised the homeowners to file police complaints, and some have already accused the broker of fraud and of unlawfully using other people’s official documents. Others have held back from doing so, as the documents in some cases were handed over by their own children or relatives. Poonpong said the department will investigate further to establish whether Thai citizens are being used as nominees to conceal foreign capital, and will roll out similar checks on company registrations nationwide. In similar news

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On August 17, 2025, at the office of Thanakrit Law Firm in Bangkok, Joy, a 25-year-old TikTok influencer, disclosed that she underwent nose augmentation and tip refinement at a Rama 9 clinic in October 2022 for 65,000 baht as a review case, meaning she paid nothing upfront. After leaving the operating room, she discovered her nose was crooked on the left side. The doctor claimed the base of her nose was naturally skewed but did not warn her this could occur. She subsequently developed redness and inflammation.

The clinic later attempted to correct the inflammation at an additional cost of 5,000 baht, but the tip remained swollen, red, and structurally compromised, risking perforation. Eventually, the silicone implant was removed and she was told to wait six months before revision surgery. However, she refused further treatment at that clinic because two procedures had already failed. She is now consulting another doctor who estimates the corrective surgery will cost 300,000 baht. The original clinic has only offered 65,000–80,000 baht in settlement.

The clinic has invoked its review contract, claiming the right to use her photographs until 2027, and continues to post images of the nose surgery on social media even as she undergoes ongoing treatment more than two years later. The patient reports she now experiences breathing difficulties on her left side, requiring nasal spray and asthma medication, and is unable to work on camera or accept review jobs, losing income opportunities. She chose this clinic because the surgeon was a qualified plastic surgeon and her case history seemed promising.

Dr. Thanakrit Jitareerattana, head of the Thanakrit Volunteer Group, stated that the patient currently has a deviated nose, the implant has been removed, and the clinic has yet to provide compensation. He has escalated the case to the Department of Health Service Support under the Ministry of Public Health to investigate the facts under the Hospital Act. The clinic must be held responsible for the patient's breathing problems and pay civil damages. The case has also been referred to the Medical Council to examine the clinic's treatment standards.

A prominent skincare influencer with over 2 million social media followers ignited an online debate after filming a complete skincare routine during a packed screening of "The Odyssey" at a cinema. The creator, known as @np.miranda, is a nurse and beauty treatment specialist who shared her full regimen on TikTok, starting with a headband and hair tying, then cleansing water, followed by spray, neck cream, eye cream, and a full-face collagen mask. She also applied lip masks, ate dried meat, and sipped a carbonated drink, captioning the video "POV: 3-hour movie" and asking followers if anyone else brings skincare and snacks to theaters.

Many viewers criticized the behavior, arguing that using a bright phone screen and performing a multi-step routine in a dark theater disturbs others and represents a basic breach of etiquette. Critics questioned why she did not perform full skincare at home, with some saying they would feel like they were living a "nightmare" if seated next to her. The backlash extended to broader criticism of influencer culture, with some viewers expressing fatigue with influencer behavior and calling for TikTok to add a dislike button, while others viewed the act as merely an attention-seeking stunt online.

However, not all responses were negative. Some users defended the creator, saying they barely noticed what she was doing and did not understand how wearing a face mask could be troublesome. Others appreciated the idea as a creative way to spend time during a long film, with the creator herself responding that it was "excellent multitasking." The incident reflects a broader trend of increasingly longer films, with average runtime for major productions rising from about 106 minutes in the 1990s to around 114 minutes or more today, with action films averaging about 128 minutes. Director Denis Villeneuve of Dune has noted that younger audiences tend to appreciate longer films like Oppenheimer, which runs three hours, suggesting that as movies grow longer, it is unsurprising that some viewers seek ways to "multitask" during screenings.

On August 17, reporters investigated a complaint filed by parents after their 8-year-old son was attacked and bitten by stray dogs while playing at a playground in Bangkhuntian Mercy Housing Estate. The child suffered multiple bite wounds and required medical treatment.

The boy's mother recounted that on the evening of August 15, her son went out to play with friends as usual when suddenly a pack of stray dogs chased and attacked him. She said an adult happened to witness the attack and intervened, preventing more serious injuries. She said medical bills had to be paid out of pocket and questioned who should bear responsibility. She has not filed a criminal complaint but wants the stray dogs removed from the area, as many children live in the estate.

Veerawat Rajasih, a condo juristic committee member, said the committee had been monitoring the child's injuries closely and discussing compensation. He noted that the 46-building estate is home to approximately 100 stray dogs that residents occasionally feed. The committee has been trying to control the strays but faced challenges; they recently coordinated with the district office and relevant agencies.

Bangkhuntian District Councillor Narupol Lertpunyanont confirmed that the district office had been notified and was coordinating a response. District Director Phatakorn Sinsouk said multiple agencies had gathered to address the problem, including district officials, the juristic committee, and the victim. They visited the incident site to accelerate a solution.

Sinsouk explained that stray dog and cat problems are handled by reporting to the Public Veterinary Health Office under the Health Department. For dogs with owners, normal procedures apply; for strays, officials must first assess whether they are dangerous before attempting capture. He acknowledged challenges in catching strays across the large estate, as dogs hide under buildings and in crevices. Cooperation from those who feed the dogs is needed. In July, only one dog was captured. Officials coordinated with feeders and expected to capture a first batch the following day, after which the dogs would be neutered and cared for.