Emirati men flee Phuket police checkpointLegacyTwo foreign nationals have been arrested in Phuket after allegedly fleeing a police checkpoint, kicking an officer’s motorcycle, and causing the officer to crash during a pursuit through Kathu district. The chase began at around 1pm on August 13 at the Si Kor checkpoint on Phra Barami Road. Police said a black Honda ADV 160 carrying two men was travelling from Patong towards the Si Kor intersection when officers signalled the rider to stop for a licence check. The rider allegedly accelerated through the checkpoint instead. Police Sergeant Major Siwayot Yodrabam followed the motorcycle towards Phra Phuket Kaew Road. Near Kathu Municipality, officers again ordered the pair to stop, but the passenger allegedly kicked Siwayot’s motorcycle with his left foot, unbalancing it. The pursuit continued towards a duty-free store, where the suspects allegedly rode against oncoming traffic before turning into a side street. They then reportedly cut in front of the pursuing police motorcycle, causing Siwayot to crash. He suffered injuries, and his clothing, glasses and motorcycle were damaged. Siwayot continued the chase until the suspects abandoned their motorcycle and fled on foot. Police searched the surrounding area and later found both men walking nearby. They were identified as a 21 year old Emirati national, Sohaill, who had allegedly been riding the motorcycle, and a 20 year old Emirati national, Hamad Saif Rashed, the passenger. Police informed both men of the allegations and their legal rights before taking them, along with the motorcycle, to Kathu Police Station, where they were handed to investigators for further legal proceedings. Photo courtesy of Pattaya Mail Photo courtesy of Pattaya Mail In another separate incident, a Phuket checkpoint search finds a gun and bullets under a BMW seat. Mueang Phuket officials discovered a CZ firearm and 30 rounds of 9mm ammunition hidden beneath the driver’s seat during a security check in Koh Kaew on August 10. The 29 year old driver could not produce a licence or carry permit. He now faces firearms charges and was taken to Mueang Phuket Police Station. The story Emirati men flee Phuket police checkpoint as seen on Thaiger News.

At Noen Yang Pracha Samakkhom School in Kalasin on August 16, Yodsanan Wongsawat, a Pheu Thai list MP, along with party colleagues and Nathawut Saiyakuea, took the stage to campaign for Chelomkwan Lortrakul, candidate number one for Kalasin Provincial Governor under the Pheu Thai banner.

Nathawut recalled that in 2022 he had helped campaign for Chelomkwan, who was elected governor. He then drew an analogy, saying a provincial governor should be like a pearl—something precious and beautiful—not a container left empty. He characterized Chelomkwan as a lifelong party member, tracing her lineage back through the Thai Rak Thai era and her father, former governor Yongyuth Lortrakul, and stressed that the party must rally behind its loyal members.

Nathawut emphasized that he had remained steadfast in his party allegiance through political upheaval, and urged Kalasin residents to stick with Chelomkwan. He noted that he recently attended a funeral in Ubon with former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who sent his regards to Kalasin and expressed hope to visit in the future.

Party member Yodsanan Wongsawat echoed the sentiment, saying that while the past few months had brought major changes, his commitment to Kalasin had never wavered. He stressed that the most important thing was for Kalasin to win and to elect a governor who understands grassroots problems, can work continuously, and can coordinate across all groups. He added that people cannot wait, and the elected governor must hit the ground running with clear policies on day one.

CHIANG RAI — 15 August 2026. The Wiang Thoeng Subdistrict Municipality in Thoeng district issued an overnight warning after the water level rose slightly above the 7-metre watch threshold.

As of 22:00 on 15 August, the water level stood at 7.05 metres, 0.05 metres above the watch level. The highest level recorded over the previous 24 hours was 7.05 metres, while the lowest was 6.80 metres.

Officals said the water level was rising slightly at about 2 centimetres per hour, although the overall situation remained relatively stable compared with the previous day.

Weather forecasts indicated a 53% chance of rain in Thoeng district over the following three hours, with expected rainfall of around 0.0 millimetres.

Residents living along waterways and in low-lying areas were advised to monitor the water level overnight and keep belongings elevated as a precaution. The municipality also urged residents to closely monitor children, elderly people and bedridden patients in their homes throughout the night.

Residents were advised to follow updates and announcements from the Wiang Thoeng Subdistrict Municipality. Anyone requiring emergency assistance can contact the municipality immediately.

Police have revealed that a suspect known as 'Pa Da' remains uncontactable, while other people involved in the incident face potential charges for unlawful assembly if they do not come forward. On August 16, Deputy Superintendent Yoswat Kaewsubthanit of Muang Khon Kaen Police Station disclosed that investigators had issued a summons to Chommani Noijuntan, also known as Da, 62 years old, on charges of unlawful assembly, with the first hearing scheduled for August 27. However, there has been no contact from the suspect.

Several witnesses have already completed their statements, including a cement truck driver, driver's assistant, and a building material shop owner who sold pipes and cement. Investigators are still seeking two van drivers and passengers believed to reside in Bangkok, for whom summonses have also been issued.

Deputy Superintendent Yoswat further stated that any other individuals involved in the incident, whether or not they have been summoned, should come forward to give statements to investigators. Those who fail to do so will be considered accomplices and charged with unlawful assembly alongside the main suspects.

Regarding a separate matter involving the issuance of replacement land title deeds at Khon Kaen Provincial Land Office, police are receiving reports after a temple submitted objections with the original deed. Officers have not yet received a formal complaint from the land official, but will proceed with the case once a complaint is filed.

At 9:00 a.m. on August 16, 2026, police in Khong District, Nakhon Ratchasima received a report of a pickup truck collision with multiple injuries near a U-turn on Mittraphap Road at kilometer 45-46 entering the city. Officers, traffic police, highway patrol, and rescue units from several municipalities responded to the scene.

At the accident site, a white Nissan pickup truck with a temple name sticker was struck on its right side and veered off the road into a forest entrance, with its roof rack torn off. Two monks were found ejected from the vehicle: Luang Pho Subin, 64, the driver, and Luang Pi Phongpipat, 47, both sustaining injuries.

A white Toyota Vigo pickup truck with a steel cab, driven by an 18-year-old named Atichet, also lost control after the collision and struck a concrete median barrier, with the vehicle climbing onto the roadside. The teenage driver and his passenger were also injured. Emergency responders provided first aid and transported the injured to Pak Chong Nana Hospital and Bangkok Hospital Khao Yai.

Investigation revealed that Luang Pho Subin and Luang Pi Phongpipat had left their temple in the morning, parked the vehicle, and were returning from alms-round when the Vigo struck them from behind at the U-turn, causing both vehicles to lose control and spin in different directions. Police documented the scene, had both vehicles towed to the district station for inspection, and will proceed with legal action once the injured parties recover.

Associate Professor Atthapol Pisalwanich of Rangsit University's Faculty of Economics has released an analysis titled "US Crackdown on Transshipment Fraud: Impact on Thai Exports and Industries Under The Great Transshipment Scam Report." He notes that heightened US scrutiny of goods misclassification and trade-policy evasion will require Thai exporters—particularly those dependent on Chinese raw materials and components—to prepare for stricter origin verification and production-process investigations.

The report "The Great Transshipment Scam: Rise, Scope, and Costs," released on August 13, 2025, by the US Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy, focuses on the use of third countries as conduits to import Chinese goods into the US market while avoiding tariffs or trade measures. Monitored behaviors range from relabeling or document falsification to processing without genuine manufacturing or minimal value-added operations, including use of Chinese manufacturing bases in third countries.

Thailand is placed in Tier 2 alongside Brazil, Indonesia, Malaysia, Turkey, and Vietnam—countries with significant trade links to China in raw materials, manufacturing bases, logistics, and supply chains. However, Tier 2 classification is merely a risk-assessment grouping and does not conclude that Thailand or Thai exporters engage in transshipment fraud.

Professor Pisalwanich emphasized that the report does not automatically trigger additional tariffs on Thai goods but may inform the US Customs and Border Protection's risk-screening process. Exporters should prepare documentation on product origin, manufacturers, factories, production processes, raw-material and component sources, and shipping routes for backward traceability.

Thailand-China trade connections warrant close monitoring. In 2016, Thailand exported $23.568 billion to China and imported $41.044 billion. By 2025, exports rose to $39.381 billion while imports surged to $108.557 billion, widening the trade deficit from $17.476 billion to $69.176 billion—a 295.8% increase—with a cumulative deficit of approximately $286.879 billion or 9.61 trillion baht between 2016 and 2025.

Import data from 2016 to 2025 shows that the top ten product categories imported from China—mostly machinery, electronic equipment, raw materials, and components—increased from 69.08% of total Chinese imports in 2016 to 76.86% in 2025. This reflects deeper integration with Chinese supply chains but does not indicate Thai goods are transshipped.

Eight industries face heightened scrutiny based on comparisons of Chinese imports with Thai exports to the US: electronic equipment and electrical machinery, machinery and mechanical components, iron and steel, iron or steel products, plastics and plastic products, vehicles and vehicle components, copper and copper products, and measuring instruments, medical devices, and optical equipment.