The Gold Traders Association announced that gold prices have jumped sharply on August 8, 2026. Ornamental gold is selling at 68,650 baht per baht weight. Compared to the closing price on August 7, gold prices have risen by 450 baht, with ornamental gold now at 68,650 baht per baht weight. The latest data was released by the Gold Traders Association on their website at 09:04 AM. Gold bars are currently trading at 67,650 baht per baht weight for buyback and 67,850 baht per baht weight for sales according to announcement number one. For 96.5% ornamental gold, the buyback price is 66,294.68 baht per baht weight and the selling price is 68,650 baht per baht weight. Global spot gold prices are at 4,343.00 US dollars per ounce. Summary of gold prices for August 8, 2026: Gold bars - Buyback 67,650 baht per baht weight, Sales 67,850 baht per baht weight. Ornamental gold - Buyback 66,294.68 baht per baht weight, Sales 68,650 baht per baht weight. Source: Gold Traders Association.

NAKHON NAYOK — A 24-year-old man was warned by police after being caught smoking cannabis on the grounds of Nakhon Nayok Hospital on August 7, 2026.

At around 10:30 a.m., the hospital's security guards spotted the man sitting at a stone table near the obstetrics and gynaecology building, close to the hospital canteen, and contacted police.

Police and hospital staff questioned him about smoking cannabis in the hospital compound, where smoking is prohibited. A search of his bag uncovered a packet of cannabis and a knife, which officers seized. The man also led officers to a homemade smoking device made from a modified plastic bottle that he had hidden under a tree near the hospital wall.

Official warned him that smoking cannabis in the hospital grounds was inappropriate. The man apologised to police and hospital staff and promised not to repeat the behaviour. He was not charged and was allowed to leave after officers learned that he had been at the hospital to care for his sick mother, who was receiving treatment there.

A security guard said he had initially warned the man and photographed the incident before contacting police. The man admitted smoking cannabis and apologised, while staff decided not to pursue the matter after learning about his mother's condition.

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanpraphas stated that 200 billion baht from the remaining portion of the government's 400-billion-baht emergency loan decree will be dedicated to energy transition projects. Of the first 200-billion-baht tranche, approximately 40 billion baht currently remains. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has instructed that the situation be assessed carefully given budget constraints, with priority placed on meaningful energy transition initiatives.

When asked about the Ministry of Tourism and Sports allocating 1.75-2 billion baht from the emergency loan for the "Thai Help Thai Plus" tourism project, Ekniti stated that the allocation was not excessive and must align with the program's objectives of assisting merchants. He acknowledged that while surplus funds exist, spending must serve the intended purpose effectively.

Regarding potential criticism that the tourism project may not align with the urgent necessity requirement of emergency borrowing, Ekniti indicated the situation requires further assessment. He confirmed that while it is legally possible to redirect the 200-billion-baht energy transition portion to extend the Thai Help Thai Plus program, the government prefers to reserve it for energy transition goals.

Ekniti confirmed that 50-60 billion baht will fund the solar rooftop program to help citizens transition to solar energy, with Government Savings Bank and Government Housing Bank providing financing support. He emphasized the necessity of comprehensive energy transition given Thailand's heavy reliance on oil and natural gas, including upgrades to smart meters and transmission systems to prevent widespread outages during grid transitions, as seen in some foreign countries.

Additionally, the government plans transportation sector transition by converting public buses to electric vehicles across seven categories, though detailed implementation and budgets have not yet been finalized. Ekniti also discussed a meeting with Grab Holdings executives who acknowledged the Thai Help Thai Plus project's AI system development, similar to the Whisper Bird application, which increased merchant sales by over 68 percent, demonstrating how the "Plus" component enhances business performance.

Government Spokesperson Ratchada Thanadirek stated on August 8 that the administration remains committed to managing the public's cost of living, citing the June 2025 consumer confidence index rising to 50.2 for the first time in four months. This figure reflects recovery in purchasing power from government measures, but with the economy still fragile, the administration must work simultaneously on income supplementation, expense relief, and energy price control to prevent daily hardship.

Rather than using single-track stimulus, the government employs a bundle of measures and the Thai Help Thai Plus program, which circulates approximately one trillion baht through the economy, reduces living costs, and distributes funds to grassroots communities nationwide. Ratchada emphasized that Thai Help Thai Plus ensures money does not concentrate in Bangkok alone—with only 15–16 percent of spending occurring there—demonstrating that funds reach other provinces, small businesses, and genuine communities.

Meanwhile, the Energy Ministry continues using the fuel fund mechanism to cap liquified petroleum gas (LPG) prices against global market fluctuations by increasing compensation from 7.2209 baht per kilogram to 9.8642 baht per kilogram, keeping the retail price at 423 baht per 15-kilogram tank. Freezing LPG prices directly impacts households, restaurants, and small traders, as cooking gas is a household and business cost; rising energy prices would immediately cascade to food, goods, and service prices.

The government acknowledges the cost of energy price controls: the fuel fund balance stood at minus 71,826.31 million baht on August 7, up approximately 2,044 million baht from the previous week, requiring careful management. "The government is doing its utmost to manage the cost of living within the nation's fiscal capacity, aiming to circulate money to the grassroots, achieve stable economic recovery, and leave no one behind," the spokesperson said.

Deputy Democratic Party leader Radchadao Intavangsuwankiri has posted on Facebook expressing condolences to families affected by the school shooting at Thepsirindr School in Nonthaburi, calling the incident a warning signal about escalating youth violence and mental health problems that Thai society must urgently confront.

Radchadao noted that Thai society has repeatedly witnessed cases of children and youth experiencing stress, self-harm, suicide, or violence toward others, with violence now spreading into educational institutions and affecting both teachers and students. "We must seriously ask what adults are doing, and how many more people must we lose before we act?" she said.

Radchadao emphasized that Thailand should prioritize building prevention systems rather than reacting after incidents occur. She advocated for mental health awareness, early warning sign recognition, violence prevention, bullying intervention strategies, and safe reporting channels to be embedded in educational systems. She stressed that most violence cases show warning signs beforehand, so teachers, students, and parents need to recognize these signals and have the courage to report them before it is too late.

Radchadao argued that this is not a problem of children or teachers alone but a systemic issue involving families, schools, communities, and government. She called for building a comprehensive "learning ecosystem" where children, teachers, and parents do not face these challenges in isolation. "We should not wait for more deaths to hold meetings, we should not wait for the next teacher to post they cannot take it anymore, and we should not wait for another child to pick up a weapon before asking why no one knew," she concluded, noting that warning signs have been present for years.

BANGKOK: The Interior Ministry has ordered a financial trail investigation into more than 100 Phuket companies suspected of being linked to foreign nominee networks, with combined revenue estimated at more than B5 billion last year.