GUNKUL has partnered with LH Bank to secure a sustainability-linked loan of 1 billion baht for investment in clean energy power plants both domestically and internationally. The company has approximately 1,400 megawatts of projects currently in development and awaiting revenue recognition, with plans to expand its renewable energy portfolio to over 2,121 megawatts to align with Thailand's PDP 2026 roadmap and Net Zero emissions goals.

Gunkul Darngpiyavut, chairman of GUNKUL Engineering, stated that the sustainability-linked loan will enable the company to grow through investment and development of clean energy projects in both Thailand and overseas, including solar and wind power projects scheduled for commercial operation between 2027 and 2030, as well as a floating solar farm in the Philippines targeted for late 2027.

The financing supports GUNKUL's ambition to expand clean energy investment in Thailand in line with PDP 2026, which aims to significantly increase the proportion of power generation from clean energy sources and reflects the company's commitment to sustainable business practices aligned with the country's Net Zero targets.

Mark Chen, CEO of LH Bank's Business Customer Group, emphasized the bank's support for sustainable financing services to entrepreneurs prioritizing environmental impact. GUNKUL, as a clean energy leader with over 40 years of energy engineering experience and a portfolio of more than 2,121 megawatts of renewable energy projects, exemplifies the kind of partnership LH Bank seeks to promote renewable energy adoption and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with Thailand's Taxonomy standards.

Speaking at parliament on August 7, 2025, Asupath Sannatiraphop, Srisaket MP for Bhumjaithai and chair of the anti-corruption committee, responded to accusations by Rangsiman Rome, chair of the House law and justice committee, that former Deputy PM and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul was involved in local civil service exam fraud. The allegation centered on Anutin's alleged role in switching the exam contractor from Burapha University to Srinakharinwirot University in 2024.

Asupath said that as Srisaket's representative, he received numerous complaints in 2023 from locals about brokers demanding 500,000 to 800,000 baht in exchange for local government jobs in subdistrict and municipal administrations. He brought these complaints to the Interior Ministry on January 5, 2024, and a memorandum of understanding was signed on January 26, 2024, between the Interior Ministry, the Department of Local Administration (DLA), the National Anti-Corruption Commission, and the Anti-Money Laundering Office.

Asupath clarified that local exam fraud occurred during 2019 and 2021 exams when Burapha University and Kasetsart University were the contractors—both institutions that generated complaints. When Burapha was set to conduct exams again, Srisaket residents filed complaints. Asupath recounted receiving a threatening call from someone claiming to be a DLA official warning that he could face false testimony charges, but he stood firm on the truth of his allegations.

He described a pattern where some candidates who paid bribes failed the written and oral sections but were later adjusted to pass, while others in Srisaket paid but failed and filed 19 police reports. Two of these cases have already been forwarded to prosecutors, and central authorities are preparing to take additional statements from victims. Once the accused learned of the incoming investigation, they began returning money to victims.

Asupath emphasized that local exam fraud is longstanding but was difficult to detect because only five senior DLA positions—director-general, related deputy directors, department heads, group heads, and specialists—had the power to manipulate results. In 2019 and 2021, fraud went undetected because benefits were distributed smoothly, but the 2024 exams were caught because multiple DLA directors changed, disrupting the quota system's profit-sharing.

"What I'm saying confirms that local exam fraud has existed since the past but was undetectable because those involved were few and benefits aligned perfectly," Asupath said. "In 2024, we caught it because the change in leadership meant quotas had misaligned interests. But this was a good opportunity to prove this network truly exists." He further noted that DLA should be scrutinized thoroughly.

A janitor at Thepsirin School, one of the eyewitnesses to the shooting, described a male student who carried out a gun attack on August 7, 2026, in the Bang Kruai area of Nonthaburi province. The incident left teachers and students with numerous injuries and claimed seven lives. The janitor recounted that the initial shooting occurred on the sixth floor of Building 5, which houses junior secondary students (grades 7-9). While working on a lower floor near the building, he did not see the first moments of the attack but heard gunshots at intervals, not in continuous bursts.

When unusual and persistent sounds erupted, the janitor knew something serious was happening and immediately worked with other staff to secure the rear entrances for safety. After firing on the sixth floor, the gunman calmly walked down the stairs to the lower level and crossed to the senior secondary building (Building 4), passing close by the janitor without apparent panic or fear.

The janitor noted that the gunman's demeanor appeared remarkably composed—he walked casually without showing signs of panic, flight, or fear. Even when police began arriving at the scene, the gunman continued walking up to higher floors of Building 4 and fired 2-3 more shots before the incident subsided, likely when ammunition ran out.

When asked about bullying or motivations, the janitor said his duties involved maintaining cleanliness and managing doors, so he was unaware of academic disputes or conflicts among students. In over 20 years of employment at the school, he had never encountered such a violent incident. Regarding security measures, the janitor explained that the school normally had a teacher monitoring the entrance and used facial recognition scanning to record student attendance, but had no metal detectors or weapons scanning equipment at entry points.

Port FC, a leading Thai League football club, released a statement expressing deep condolences for the victims and injured from the violent incident at Thepsirin School in Nonthaburi province. A shooting occurred at the school in Bang Kruai district on the morning of August 7, resulting in numerous injuries and seven deaths. Port FC issued an official statement through its Facebook page offering heartfelt sympathy: "Port FC expresses our deepest condolences to those who lost their lives and were injured in the violent incident at Thepsirin School, Nonthaburi province. We extend our support and strength to all affected families and the wounded."

PHUKET: Groups of Indian nationals are allegedly renting houses and other accommodation in Phuket and Krabi to use as bases for scam operations, according to a Thai MP who has called for closer monitoring of foreign groups operating in the Andaman region.

9 things I learned while travelling here as a tourist in ThailandLegacyThailand has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in Southeast Asia with over 30 million visitors per year. Yet, political strife, pollution, petty theft, and road safety concerns tend to make tourists question whether they’ll be safe here. As a tourist who has now spent 7 weeks in Thailand, I can confidently say that I feel much safer here than at home in the United States. Yet, like any place, there are some real risks that come with unpreparedness. These are some key tips to keep in mind while you’re here.  1. Zip your bag in public

A simple and effective system to prevent petty theft. This is particularly common in big tourist destinations in Thailand like Khao San Road.  Keep your bag across your body rather than on one shoulder, and if you’re walking near the road, switch it to the side furthest from traffic. Crowded spots like night markets, the BTS and MRT during rush hour, and nightlife strips are worth the extra caution. 2. Opt for online ride-hailing Use the Grab or Bolt app to call motorbikes (or cars). Not only are they more convenient, but oftentimes they can also end up saving you money. The advantage of Grab and Bolt is the paper trail. Every trip logs the driver’s name, licence plate, and route, so if something does go wrong, there’s a record and a driver rating attached to it. You can also share your live trip with a friend or family member from within the app, which is worth doing late at night or if you’re travelling alone. Watch out for the classic “meter’s broken” line from street taxis, since it’s almost always an opening move to negotiate a price well above the metered fare. Don’t use unmetered taxis unless you have no other option, and if you insist on trying the tuktuks, make sure you agree on a price beforehand. 3. Wear a helmet on the motorbikes Over 14,000 people were killed in motorcycle accidents in 2024, according to the Department of Disease Control, and a large share of those deaths involved no helmet at all. Sometimes, that means asking the driver and even calling for a new bike if the first one doesn’t have an extra helmet. It’s well worth the extra few minutes, I promise.

While we’re here, you should also wear a mask while on the bikes. The exhaust, particularly on Bangkok city streets (or in Chiang Mai, where PM2.5 levels regularly spike), is no joke. 7-Eleven sells them for just a few dollars, and they’ll make a huge difference for your lungs. 4. Protect your skin The UV Index can reach 12 to 13, which means burns after less than ten minutes of exposure. You’ll see many Thais holding umbrellas to protect from the sun, and you’ll be better off if you join them. That UV Index holds steady even on cloudy days, but it doesn’t mean that you won’t get sunburnt. Reapply sunscreen often if you’re outside for long stretches. A light long-sleeved shirt does more for sun protection than most people expect, and it’s a lot cooler than it sounds once you’re used to Thailand’s humidity. 5. Consider sleeping without air conditioning Air conditioning (AC) dries the room while cooling it, drying out your skin, nose, and throat. Especially for those with underlying respiratory conditions, when combined with the sharp humidity contrast outside, leaving your AC on for prolonged periods while indoors can lead to a painful dry cough.

But when it’s this hot, who wants to sleep without air conditioning? If you do want the AC on overnight, a bowl of water left in the room or a cheap portable humidifier helps offset the dryness. If your room has a ceiling fan, running that alongside a slightly warmer AC setting is usually the more comfortable middle ground. 6. Look for the ice with the hole A quick way to judge how clean the ice can be in Thailand is to look for cylindrical ice with a hole through the middle. This ice is mass-produced using filtered water and is safe to consume. Other ice, the chunky, chopped variety you sometimes see at street food stalls, is more likely to be made with tap water and is worth avoiding where you can. In practice, most people eat and drink in Thailand for years without incident, but the cylinder rule is a useful habit to develop early. The same logic applies to the food itself. A busy stall with a visible queue, dishes cooked to order, and food that arrives genuinely hot is almost always a safer choice than something sitting in a tray under a heat lamp, regardless of how clean the setup looks. Furthermore, turnover is the real indicator of freshness. The stall that has been feeding office workers since 7am and runs out of everything by noon is a better sign than an empty stall with a spotless counter. 7. Drink more water than you could ever imagine possible

During both the hot season (March to May) and the wet season (May to October), temperatures can reach 35+ degrees Celcius and stay there for multiple days. April is typically the peak, and it’s easy to underestimate how much fluid you’re losing through sweat alone, especially if you’re walking around in the middle of the day. Watch for the early signs of heat exhaustion, dizziness, a headache, or unusually dark urine, and treat any of them as a signal to get into the shade and rehydrate. Electrolyte sachets, sold cheaply at every pharmacy and 7-Eleven, do more for you than plain water alone if you’ve been sweating heavily.

8. A note on Thailand’s red light districts Be careful walking around Thailand’s red light districts at night. Areas like Patpong in Bangkok, Bangla Road in Phuket, and Walking Street in Pattaya are built around a commercial entertainment economy, and foreign men are the primary customer base. Walking through means being pulled in multiple directions by touts and workers all competing for attention at once, which makes it harder to stay aware of what else is happening around you. Customers and tourists in these areas in Thailand often develop a false sense of anonymity, which can make behaviour unpredictable. Disputes over services or prices occasionally escalate, so staying in a group and keeping your valuables close is sensible. You do not need to avoid red light districts entirely, but just stay aware of your surroundings and be direct if you do not want to engage with someone approaching you. Also: Prostitution in Thailand and the cost of criminalisation 9. Don’t talk negatively about the monarchy.

To be safe, just don’t talk about it at all. It’s against the law, and you could face serious penalties. This is covered under Section 112 of the Criminal Code, Thailand’s lese majeste law, which carries a penalty of three to 15 years behind bars for each offence. It applies to the king, queen, heir, and regent; it covers online posts and social media shares just as much as spoken comments, and foreigners are not exempt from it. Multiple charges can be stacked, which is why some sentences reported in the Thai press run into decades, so the safest approach really is to avoid the topic altogether, including sharing or “liking” content about it online. Overall, I can confidently say that being a tourist in Thailand feels incredibly safe, and exercising normal caution as one would at home is standard. Have an amazing trip; it truly feels like the Land of Smiles! The story 9 things I learned while travelling here as a tourist in Thailand as seen on Thaiger News.