On August 4, 2569, the Excise Department reported an armed attack on its Mueang Pattani branch office at approximately 11:00 a.m. Police officers from the Southern Border Provinces Investigation Division were processing a tobacco-related case with a suspect seated at a marble table outside the office when, at around 11:24 a.m., two gunmen on a motorcycle dressed as Muslim women opened fire with a rifle, discharging 16 rounds that pierced the building's glass windows and walls.

Excise Commissioner Dr. Pornchai Theerawech immediately ordered Jiranun Jaihaow, director of the Excise Office Region 9, to the scene to assess the situation. Damage assessments found two injured persons: Nurahaiyatee Saaem, treated at Mueang Pattani Hospital, and Jiraphon Saenkamnueng, an excise official who sustained glass fragment injuries to her mouth. Property damage included 16 impact points on the office building's glass and walls, plus one motorcycle with a damaged taillight.

Due to the incident's impact on public services and staff safety, local security authorities assessed the situation and recommended temporary closure of the Mueang Pattani branch until the security situation stabilizes. The Finance Ministry and Excise Department expressed concern for public and staff safety and announced the temporary closure of the Mueang Pattani Excise Office branch. The public may instead access services at the main Pattani Excise Office, 10 Srudsdit Road, Sabarang Subdistrict, Mueang District, Pattani Province, via telephone numbers 073-349041, 098-6427660, 093-7211374, 082-4343125, and 088-7863313.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) posted a tribute to the passing of Praphash Kongyiad, an NACC commissioner and former director-general of the Fiscal Policy Office, who died at age 64 on August 4, 2025. Kongyiad, a native of Trang Province, was an accomplished legal scholar who earned his law degree with second-class honors from Ramkhamhaeng University, completed a Master of Laws program at Harvard Law School, and obtained Thai bar credentials from the Judicial Training Institute. Throughout his career in public service, he held major positions including director-general of the Fiscal Policy Office, director-general of the Bureau of the Budget, director of the State Enterprise Policy Office, director of the Public Debt Management Office, deputy permanent secretary of the Ministry of Finance, and inspector-general of the Finance Ministry, before receiving royal approval for his appointment as an NACC commissioner on January 30, 2024.

On August 4, in sugarcane and rice paddy areas west of Ban Wang Charoen village, Moo 2, Huai Mueang subdistrict, Phu Pha Man district, Khon Kaen province, social media posts revealed images of seven large sinkholes, causing alarm and widespread sharing of opinions.

Komphetch Krosing, chief of Huai Mueang subdistrict administration, stated that the ground collapses are not new but have been occurring for approximately 10 years since 2015 and continuing to the present. When the incidents first occurred, relevant agencies, particularly geologists, inspected the area and determined that the zone is limestone terrain susceptible to subsidence. Warning signs before collapse take various forms: some areas show slight settling, some create depressions, and some emit air gusts resembling boiling water before the ground gives way. This situation has alarmed local farmers and gardeners working the fields, as they cannot predict when the ground will collapse. However, no reports have surfaced of anyone falling into the holes or suffering injuries from the incidents. Residents can only take precautions themselves.

Over the past 10 years, authorities have coordinated with geologists and relevant agencies to investigate the causes, but still await answers from specialist agencies. Each time a collapse occurs, a nearby limestone mill brings crushed stone to fill the holes and help residents, but many refilled areas subside again shortly afterward. Some locations have experienced recurrence within just one year.

Huai Mueang subdistrict administration lacks sufficient capacity to address such a large-scale problem, so it coordinated with the limestone mill for assistance. The mill fills holes with crushed stone where they appear, but agricultural land and people's livelihoods are lost, creating hardship for residents. The next course of action is to coordinate with specialized geologists equipped with inspection tools to identify the cause and discuss comprehensive, sustainable solutions with multiple agencies.

Nunsil, 68, a landowner, revealed that she owns two agricultural plots. The first plot contains 3 rai of rice paddy with one collapsing hole that began subsiding on August 3 and had expanded significantly by the morning of August 4, accompanied by sounds of soil cracking. Her second plot spans 9 rai of sugarcane with five large sinkholes, which she fears to inspect for risk of falling in. After discovering the holes, she was shocked but still needed to complete harvesting for her livelihood.

Local residents believe the cause stems from limestone quarrying operations and groundwater extraction that weakened the soil, and are seeking assistance and compensation from relevant authorities, as the affected areas can no longer be farmed. Tomorrow, August 5, geological department officials will conduct another site inspection to identify the cause and discuss solutions with relevant agencies.

On August 4 at 1:30 p.m. at Matichon Public Company Limited's headquarters, executives from Matichon and the Government Housing Bank (BAAC) held a ceremony to present support for the "The Blooming Through Reading" project, designed to promote reading and support children and youth access to knowledge. The initiative delivers quality books to libraries and educational institutions in underserved areas affected by flooding, as well as border patrol police schools in remote areas nationwide.

Matichon leadership, headed by Managing Director Prapot Bunpan, alongside BAAC executives led by Managing Director Mahattana Ampornpisit, participated in the handover. Mahattana emphasized that books are fundamental to learning and serve as tools to "equip youth intellectually." He noted that reading not only imparts knowledge but also broadens perspectives, inspires, and promotes continuous learning alongside critical thinking and data-driven decision-making—skills essential for life in a rapidly changing world. Books also cultivate reading habits, foster imagination and creativity, and instill good values and morality as foundations for quality development.

"BAAC prioritizes supporting access to quality books for children and youth, especially those in remote or resource-poor areas, so all have the opportunity to fully develop their potential and become important contributors to the nation's future development," Mahattana said.

The BAAC has committed 100,000 baht to provide quality books to 10 border patrol police schools under the project. The collaboration aims to enrich learning resources for disadvantaged children and youth, reduce disparities in book access caused by economic and geographic constraints, and promote an inclusive learning society where all can access knowledge equally. Matichon and the Tr. Kovit Worrapipat Foundation launched the initiative in 2026.

Taiwan has reaffirmed its role as a reliable partner committed to law and principle, with the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Thailand continuing to strengthen cooperation and friendship between Taiwanese and Thai people. The office confirmed that Taiwan's long-standing partnership and close collaboration with Thailand remains unchanged, as evidenced by Taiwan's recent extension of visa-exemption privileges for Thai travelers for another year and its ongoing commitment to protecting Thai workers' rights.

Peter Lan, Taiwan's government representative, stated that Taiwanese and Thai people share similar qualities of friendliness, family values, and diligence, and both sides demonstrate flexibility and mutual understanding in managing their relationship amid geopolitical challenges. Food culture serves as another bridge between the peoples, with Taiwan's bubble tea extremely popular in Thailand while Thai cuisine is widely appreciated in Taiwan, becoming part of daily life for both communities and creating a sense of home comfort.

Cultural exchanges between Taiwan and Thailand are diverse and ongoing. Thai films and series such as The Devil's Deal, The Believers, and Bad Genius, along with global artist Lisa, continue to enjoy popularity in Taiwan. Similarly, films by Taiwanese director Ang Lee and classic songs by Teresa Teng, which have been familiar to Thai people for decades, reflect the cultural connections and charm between Taiwan and Thailand.

Beyond cultural ties, Taiwan-Thailand economic and trade cooperation has developed over more than 60 years on solid foundations of mutual trust. Lan noted that Taiwan is currently Thailand's fourth-largest trading partner and the sixth-largest source of foreign direct investment. Taiwan is ready to share knowledge and experience based on mutual respect to support Thailand's development as a semiconductor industry hub in Southeast Asia.