A magnitude 6.8 earthquake in northern Sumatra, Indonesia, was felt across several southern Thai provinces, including Krabi, where cracks were found in several concrete houses built on hillsides. Authorities are investigating whether the cracks were caused by the earthquake, with no damage officially reported so far.

On 16 August, Krabi Provincial Public Relations Office chief Pathompong Kaewbandit said the Meteorological Department had reported an earthquake in northern Sumatra, Indonesia, at 17:54 on 15 August.

The 6.8-magnitude quake was reportedly felt by residents in Songkhla, Trang, Krabi, Phuket and Satun provinces. The tremor did not meet the criteria for a Cell Broadcast alert, officials said.

In Krabi, the shaking was felt mainly in high-rise buildings, including Krabi Hospital and hotels in Ao Nang and Nong Thale subdistricts in Mueang Krabi district. No damage had been reported at the time of the statement.

Somsak Teppabut, village headman of Moo 3, Koh Kwang-Laem Pong in Nong Thale subdistrict, said he had begun inspecting homes in the area. Several concrete houses built on elevated ground in Laem Pong were found to have cracks in multiple locations. Officials are now examining the buildings to determine whether the cracks were caused by the latest earthquake.

Meanwhile, Thirasak Thongmat, head of the Krabi Office of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, said the National Disaster Warning Center had ordered authorities to closely monitor earthquake activity around the clock.

Provincial authorities are coordinating with local administrative organizations and relevant agencies to inspect areas and high-rise buildings where residents reported feeling the tremors, while ensuring public safety and reassuring residents.

On August 16, a warning alert emerged after a group member ordered an iPhone 17 Pro Max through an app for nearly 50,000 baht, only to receive a product that did not match the listing. When the device was powered on, it ran an Android operating system. The buyer was unable to contact the seller and received only automated AI responses. The customer posted about the incident on social media, stating they ordered an Apple phone through a well-known app but received an Android device instead. The purchase amount was substantial, and although a refund or return request has been submitted, the seller has provided no response other than automated AI messages.

Kraiwir Prishnanantakul, Democratic Party MP for Ang Thong and chairman of the government coalition coordination committee, said that while the opposition has the right to debate the Senate freeze issue in a no-confidence motion, any discussion must be clearly linked to the government and supported by concrete evidence rather than mere political allegations. He noted that although the freeze occurred before the current government took office, the incumbent administration must still address the problem, but the matter remains under review by the Election Commission, an independent body the government cannot interfere with.

"I believe if the opposition raises this issue, it is their right to do so, but they must present evidence and show how it relates to the government," Kraiwir said. "This is not a platform for vague accusations or political attacks. It requires substantive points linking to the prime minister or cabinet members, with facts not mere claims. If evidence exists, the government has a duty to clarify and respond clearly."

Regarding other topics the opposition plans to raise, Kraiwir said he agrees they should be fully investigated with evidence presented and questions answered. However, he emphasized that such scrutiny should be constructive and evidence-based, not a platform for floating charges. He stressed that the government welcomes accountability but that the most critical bills are those affecting ordinary citizens' costs—the government should focus on reducing public expenses and demonstrating tangible results for the people, not just responding to opposition questions.

On August 16, the Khlong Sam Subdistrict Administration Organization's disaster prevention unit responded to a car fire at a two-story townhouse in Khlong Luang District, Pathum Thani Province. Two fire trucks and Subdistrict Chief Dr. Wirasakdi Hadda were dispatched to the scene.

The white sedan caught fire rapidly inside the cabin while parked in the townhouse parking area. Firefighters sprayed water to control the flames and prevent them from spreading to the house and surrounding areas, successfully containing the fire within approximately one hour. The driver's cabin area sustained complete fire damage.

Owner Phavatgul, 36, explained that he arrived home around 10 p.m. the previous evening and left the charging cable plugged in before going to bed. Around 8 a.m., a security guard rang the doorbell to alert him. When he came down and saw smoke rising from the vehicle, he quickly unplugged the charger and opened the car door. Heavy smoke then billowed out, as seen in video footage. He suspects the hybrid battery overheated and caught fire, but the exact cause remains unclear—whether from battery degradation or a system malfunction. Notably, no warning signal or error message appeared on the dashboard before the incident.

The owner considers himself fortunate that the fire did not spread severely; the damage is confined to the vehicle itself. The car is a used model purchased for approximately one million baht, which he has owned for about two years; accounting for the previous owner's use, the vehicle is estimated to be around four years old. He has already notified his insurance company, which has tier-one coverage and has made contact. He has not yet been able to reach the service center to investigate the cause and assess damage, as the incident occurred on a Sunday. Though hesitant about using the vehicle again, he will await the repair shop's assessment to determine if repairs and further use are possible.

The owner has maintained the car regularly, brought it in for annual inspections, and followed scheduled maintenance checks. He understood the vehicle should display error messages on the dashboard if hybrid system or related failures were detected, yet no warning appeared before the charging incident. The exact cause therefore remains uncertain.

Chaiyachon Detchdecho, a Democrat Party list MP responsible for the southern region, posted a photo on his personal Facebook while having lunch with Deputy Superintendent Thanongsak Sawasdikhomsol, deputy investigator at Thung Yai Provincial Police Station under Nakhon Si Thammarat Provincial Police Command (Region 8 Police), alongside friends and family members. In the caption, Chaiyachon wrote: "This meal, with Uncle Toom and his family—a long-standing, strong friendship built on mutual understanding." The post comes after Chaiyachon was accused of assaulting Thanongsak at a funeral, an incident that drew public attention. The lunch photo and caption appear to signal that friendly relations and a good personal relationship persist between both parties despite the case remaining under investigation. Chaiyachon has previously stated that he neither harmed nor intended to harm the police officer, said he respects the police, and expressed his readiness to proceed through the investigative process.

The man who drafted the petition to establish Wat Pa Anulyaram visited and encouraged the abbot, while criticizing a woman involved in the land dispute as unprofessional, speaking like a criminal, and seeking only to win. On August 16, 2025, at Wat Pa Anulyaram on Kalpapruks Road in Khon Kaen Municipality, Chaiyong Gongsri, 68, a former head of educational services at the Faculty of Medicine at Khon Kaen University, visited and encouraged Phra Kru Adunsaan Nithet, the abbot of Wat Pa Anulyaram. He was accompanied by monks and lay supporters from across the region who came to show support and closely follow updates on the temple land dispute. Chaiyong explained that in 1989 he began working at the university and purchased land in the Nong Waeng Tra Chu community to build a residence. After completing construction in 1992, he moved in, and by 1993 the community began expanding with more people settling in the area. At the site where Wat Pa Anulyaram now stands, there was only thick forest with no convenient road access. At that time, Intri, who served as the temple registrar, consulted with him about how to establish the temple. Chaiyong said he advised drafting the necessary documents to submit to relevant authorities in the proper sequence, typing the letter at his workplace and delivering it to the registrar to present for official temple establishment according to Department of Religion regulations. After considerable time, in April 1998, he learned that the Ministry of Education had announced the temple's establishment, as the temple showed him the official document which was later framed and displayed in the hall. Chaiyong further stated that the information provided by the woman in her media interviews was contradictory and inconsistent. He criticized her approach, saying she should speak with knowledge and professionalism rather than like a criminal seeking only to win. He emphasized that the law is clear from the beginning: once land is donated to the temple, it immediately becomes temple property. This is different from a commercial purchase, because donated land immediately becomes monastic property under Buddhist law.