The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), in collaboration with the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), has launched “ERCvoice,” a new digital platform designed to enhance co...
The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), in collaboration with the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), has launched “ERCvoice,” a new digital platform designed to enhance co...
Prime Minister Anuthim Charnvirakul has ordered a full investigation into a personal data leak involving images shared on social media, with agencies working to secure access routes and strengthen government cybersecurity standards nationwi
Prime Minister Anuthim Charnvirakul has ordered an investigation into a personal data leak involving images and information shared on social media. Government spokeswoman Rachada Thanadirek announced the directive on August 6, stating that the PM has instructed all relevant agencies to investigate the facts immediately and establish an internal investigation committee to determine the root cause and identify those responsible. The PM stressed that such incidents should not occur and that the government should use this as an opportunity to strengthen data security standards across all government systems.
The Ministry of Digital Economy for Society reported that initial findings have not detected a direct breach of government databases, and access routes have been secured. Digital forensics examination is underway to identify the cause and those involved. The Ministry of Transport has suspended irregular user accounts, ordered password changes across all agencies linked to the Land Transport Department, and referred the case to the Cyber Crime Investigation Command for further investigation.
Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry and Department of Local Administration are investigating data access pathways. The Department of Local Administration confirmed no breach has been detected in the main population registration database. The National Cybersecurity Committee is accelerating an audit and assessment of information systems across approximately 300 government agencies nationwide within 30 days, and is promoting the adoption of multi-factor authentication (MFA) as a standard to strengthen government data security, reduce unauthorized access risks, and prevent similar incidents.
Government spokeswoman Rachada stated that the government is not concealing or denying responsibility before the investigation concludes, and is prepared to implement beneficial recommendations including closing security gaps, reviewing data access permissions, protecting whistleblowers in good faith, and evaluating the effectiveness of cybersecurity budget allocations to ensure genuine protection for the public.
Laotian authorities returned 32 Thai nationals to Thailand who had been operating illegal online gambling websites from Vientiane, earning 15,000-18,000 baht monthly. They were among 373 Thai arrested in a July crackdown on illegal gambling
On August 6, 2025, at 11:30 a.m. at the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge border checkpoint in Muang District, Nong Khai Province, authorities received 32 Thai nationals—both men and women—from Laotian officials. Immigration officers and partner agencies screened the group, separated any potential trafficking victims, and reviewed case files. Initial findings showed no human trafficking victims or wanted persons among them.
Investigators determined that all 32 had worked as online gambling administrators in Cambodia before border clashes between Thai and Cambodian forces prompted them to return to Thailand. They subsequently traveled to Vientiane, Laos, and rented accommodations to operate illegal gambling websites around the clock in two 12-hour shifts, earning 15,000 to 18,000 baht per month.
On July 22, 2025, Laotian authorities launched a major crackdown on illegal gambling networks and human trafficking, arresting 373 Thai nationals. Of that total, 32 were returned on this date, with 341 others still awaiting repatriation proceedings.
A Bangkok Bank senior credit officer was arrested at Nong Khai railway station for fraudulently raising his own credit card limit from 40,000 to 70,000 baht and spending the excess on personal expenses.
On August 6, 2026, immigration and railway checkpoint officers at Nong Khai jointly arrested 32-year-old Panuvatn from Bangkok, who was wanted under a Bangkok South Criminal Court warrant for computer data tampering and theft from his employer. The suspect arrived by train at Nong Khai station and was identified when submitting his documents for departure; he was then detained and handed over to Thung Mahamaek Police for further investigation.
Investigators determined that Panuvatn worked as a senior credit card approval officer at a major Bangkok bank headquarters. Using his authority to approve temporary credit limits and issue new cards, he altered his own credit card limit from the approved 40,000 baht to 70,000 baht and spent the difference on personal expenses. When the bank's head office discovered the fraud, it filed a complaint and obtained an arrest warrant on July 27, 2026.
Thailand is reinforcing its position as a world-class tourism destination by advancing quality tourism standards and strengthening its wellness tourism sector, in line with the Government’s “Value...
Thailand is reinforcing its position as a world-class tourism destination by advancing quality tourism standards and strengthening its wellness tourism sector, in line with the Government’s “Value...
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul held a plenary meeting with Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing during the latter's official visit to Thailand, focusing on strengthening comprehensive bilateral ...
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul held a plenary meeting with Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing during the latter's official visit to Thailand, focusing on strengthening comprehensive bilateral ...
Thai autopsy on Bowortat Pengsook, known as Hlun Soe, found heart abnormalities but ruled out poison; tissue samples are being tested to determine if he had pre-existing heart disease before final conclusions.
Doctors revealed that the family of Bowortat Pengsook, known as Hlun Soe, accepted the results of Thailand's second autopsy. Georgia preserved heart tissue samples to determine whether he had pre-existing heart disease. The family will receive the body on August 7 and hold merit-making ceremonies in Kalasin province.
On August 6, 2025, at 1 p.m., at the Institute of Forensic Medicine under the Justice Ministry, Associate Professor Woravir Waiyavuth, Deputy Director of the Institute of Forensic Medicine, disclosed details following the second autopsy of Bowortat Pengsook, also known as Hlun Soe. The repeat autopsy was conducted after the deceased's body had already undergone official autopsy in Georgia. The Institute explained the procedures and obtained family consent to release information to the media.
Preliminary autopsy findings showed no signs of physical trauma, and most organs appeared normal except the heart, which Georgia had examined thoroughly. However, the Institute collected tissue samples for further laboratory analysis, including histological examination and testing for chemical or toxic substances.
Woravir stated that preliminary autopsy findings overall indicate heart and circulatory system failure, but the cause of death cannot yet be concluded, and the possibility of poisoning has not been ruled out. The Justice Ministry is coordinating with Georgian authorities to request the first autopsy results, blood test results, toxicology reports, details from the scene of death, and information on narcotics for comparative analysis. Results are expected in approximately 1-2 weeks before an official conclusion on the cause of death can be made. The preliminary conclusion of cardiac and circulatory failure was reached because other organs showed no abnormalities that would indicate the cause of death.
Woravir noted that the condition of the body, having already undergone one autopsy, limits the scope of a second examination and cannot compete with the first. Therefore, the results from the first autopsy in Georgia are crucial. Without those results, the conclusion on the cause of death would be incomplete, but laboratory examination results will provide supporting evidence.
Woravir stated that internal organs have been returned completely, with only tissue samples retained for further testing. Initially, the family was informed of preliminary autopsy findings and appeared satisfied with the results, even though laboratory results are not yet complete. Testing includes genetic analysis and examination of heart muscle that showed signs of severe stimulation, factors dependent on lifestyle. Further examination will determine whether the deceased had pre-existing heart disease. Georgian authorities suspected this possibility and submitted heart vessel tissue for detailed analysis.
When asked what would happen if both countries' autopsies were completed and the family remained uncertain about the cause, Woravir replied that if issues such as poisoning were involved, legal action could be pursued, but the family is not currently concerned. He emphasized that the family can now take the body back for religious ceremonies since the Institute has preserved all evidence. Regarding questions about whether the deceased inhaled gas, Woravir stated that Georgia tested the blood but Thailand could not because there was no blood available. He acknowledged that delays in autopsy can cause decomposition and loss of needed details, though the exact timeline of the delay was unclear.
Thailand will resume technical-level negotiations on US trade tariffs by the end of August, with Commerce Minister Supachai Sathirathai leading discussions that extend beyond tariffs to include investment and support measures.
Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Supachai Sathirathai announced on August 6, 2025, that technical-level negotiations on the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) regarding US Section 301 tariffs will conclude by month's end. She will travel to participate in discussions alongside technical teams, aiming to maximize Thailand's national interests. Supachai explained that trade policy alone is insufficient because Thailand enjoys a considerable trade surplus with the US, so other negotiation topics—including private-sector investment and additional support measures—must be included.
Regarding US proposals that Thailand cannot accept, Supachai said Thailand will not compromise on its red lines and will employ policy-level strategies. While technical teams can achieve a certain level of agreement, policy-level talks are necessary, as demonstrated in her previous meeting with the US Commerce Secretary to gain a comprehensive view beyond trade balance specifics.
When asked whether Thailand will propose 13 additional export products for tariff exemptions, Supachai noted that Thailand has already secured exemptions for over 2,000 products. Combined with goods under Section 232 that have been negotiated for some time, approximately 72% of Thai exports now enjoy tariff-free status, with 28% still subject to duties. She said officials are evaluating which additional products could qualify for exemptions to expand the benefits further.
Ancient bronze drums discovered by villagers in Chumphon's Phato district are being held at a local temple, with scholars urging the Fine Arts Department to retrieve and restore them before they deteriorate further. The drums, found along a
Scholars are calling on the Fine Arts Department to take charge of ancient bronze drums discovered by residents along Khlong Phato's embankment, amid concerns they could be damaged further. On August 6, 2026, Vara Chanmani, secretary of the Arts and Culture Lovers Club and advisor to the Parliamentary Political Development Commission, disclosed that Phato villagers discovered the drums and reported them to the local temple abbot. The drums are currently stored in a temple warehouse, but the abbot is reluctant to move them, fearing damage, and is waiting for the Fine Arts Department to collect them for restoration.
When researchers arrived, they found oil stains on the drums and carefully moved them to safety. Abbot Prasad Thasana of Ban Homong Temple in Pharak subdistrict, Phato district, Chumphon province, guided the team to the discovery site along Khlong Phato's bank.
Villagers stumbled upon the drums by chance when riverbank erosion exposed them. Inside the bronze vessels, archaeologists found human bones, beads, bowls, and religious ornaments grouped together, suggesting this was a secondary burial ritual dedicating the drums to the deceased—a practice distinct from that in Don Yai Thong, Phetchaburi, where drums are interred alongside remains. Two drums were recovered: one largely complete and one fractured into fragments and carelessly stacked. The abbot and villagers remain anxious about handling the delicate artifacts and have been awaiting the Fine Arts Department's intervention for some time, concerned that further deterioration could occur.
Senior Buddhist officials and government representatives performed a special chanting ceremony at Bangkok's Wat Rajapradit temple to honor the King's birthday, invoking blessings for his health and prosperous reign.
Senior Buddhist officials and government representatives participated in a special Buddhist chanting ceremony called "Navakkhayusamatham" to honor the birthday of His Majesty the King on July 28, 2569. Pramaha Wachcharajarya, abbot of Wat Rajapradit, led the monastic side, while Ms. Yupa Taveevattanakij, Secretary-General of the Prime Minister's Office, led the lay participants. Officials from the Prime Minister's Office, Ministry of Transport, and Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, together with Buddhist devotees, gathered at the Grand Viharn of Wat Rajapradit in Phra Nakhon district to pay respects and offer blessings to the King.
The ceremony was organized jointly by the Prime Minister's Office, Wat Rajapradit, the Ministry of Transport, and Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. All participants engaged in meditation and prayer, wishing for the King's continued health, prosperity, and long reign as a symbol of refuge and protection for the Thai people. The ceremony reflected the commitment to uphold the King's vision of governing with righteousness and dharma for the welfare of the nation, as expressed in his coronation pledge.
The "Navakkhayusamatham" chant, meaning "Dharma as the Medicine of the Nine Planets," is a Buddhist liturgy composed by His Holiness Somdet Phra Ariyawongsa Kataññaña (Sayadaw), the 9th Supreme Patriarch of Thailand and first abbot of Wat Rajapradit. It incorporates Buddhist teachings aligned with Thai astrology and invokes the blessings of the nine celestial bodies. The ceremony was first performed in 2421 BE during the reign of King Chulalongkorn's 25th birthday celebration as a special observance of a royal anniversary.
Thailand will send 19 badminton players to the 2026 BWF World Championships in New Delhi next August, with top-ranked men's player Kul-wut Vitidsant seeded second overall in singles competition.
The 2026 BWF World Championships take place in New Delhi, India from August 17–23, with the draw now finalized. A total of 19 Thai badminton players ranked in the world standings will compete across all five categories.
In men's singles, Kul-wut Vitidsant, ranked No. 2 globally, faces Sri Lanka's Viren Nettasinghe (No. 91) in the first round. Panitchpol Thirachai (No. 17) plays Finland's Kalle Kolyonen (No. 57).
Women's singles feature Rattanakok Inthanon (No. 7) against Turkey's Neslihan Arin (No. 29), Porpawee Chochuwong (No. 10) against Sri Lanka's Ranitama Liyanage (No. 107), and Suphanida Ketutong (No. 27) against Singapore's Luo Jiemin (No. 38).
In men's doubles, Cherimpol Charoenkijomorn and Vorpol Tongsang (No. 48) face Scotland's Alexander Dunn and Adam Pringle (No. 65). Prachpol Thirachai and Piratchai Sukphandi (No. 37) play Germany's Jonathan Dresp and Simon Kräck (No. 76).
Women's doubles pair Hatthaithip Metchad and Natapakorn Tungkasathan (No. 34) face Netherlands' Christien de Wit and Mirte Los (No. 69). Pattarinthorn Aimvarisakul and Sarisa Chanphaeng (No. 46) meet Canada's Jackie Dent and Crystal Lai (No. 38).
In mixed doubles, Dechapal Puwanakulkul and Supissara Piewsampran (No. 4) receive a first-round bye. Rusthnapak Upthong and Cheunnicha Sudijprasartpan (No. 21) face Malaysia's Wong Tianxu and Lim Zhiwsean (No. 43). Prachpol Thirachai and Sapsiree Thatratchai (No. 14) also receive a first-round bye.