On August 11, Air Vice Marshal Prabhas Soanthaidee, deputy commander of the Royal Thai Air Force and director of the Thai-Cambodian Information Center, responded to a Cambodian article claiming Thailand's White Paper is merely "Thailand's position" and not an international court ruling. He acknowledged the technical accuracy of that point, noting Thailand never claimed it was a court judgment, but emphasized that what matters is whether the facts, evidence, and legal interpretations within the document are sound.

"If they say it's not true, show me where," Soanthaidee said. "If they say the evidence is wrong, tell me which piece. If they say Thailand's legal interpretation is incorrect, bring forward the law to counter it. That is the debate the international community should have." He explained that the White Paper compiles facts, timelines, documents, and legal principles to enable Thai citizens, media, academics, and foreigners to verify Thailand's position.

When asked about critics' call to test the document by "facts, evidence, and international law," Soanthaidee strongly endorsed the standard but insisted all parties apply it equally. "Don't use one standard to check Thailand and another for the other side," he said. He urged Thais not to share information in anger or believe claims out of preference, but to read and verify first.

Soanthaidee stressed that Thailand does not need the loudest voice, but rather needs Thai facts to travel farther. Citizens can help by sharing information with credible sources and verifiable evidence. He expressed confidence in Thailand's ability to stand on facts and welcome scrutiny: "Real evidence does not fear examination. We don't ask the world to believe Thailand because we say so—we ask them to look at the evidence and judge by facts. This is Thailand's confidence, and this is what JIC will continue to affirm."

The Department of Sericulture, under the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, invites the public to the "Artisan Crafts: Thai Beacon OTOP—Hearts United by Royal Grace 2569" exhibition from August 8–16, 2569 at Impact Muang Thong Thani's Challenger Buildings 1–3. The event honors the late Queen Sirikit's profound contributions to preserving, reviving, and promoting Thai arts, crafts, and silk as a valued and internationally recognized heritage.

The exhibition displays and sells artisan products, handicrafts, and OTOP goods nationwide, allowing visitors to purchase quality products directly from communities and entrepreneurs while experiencing Thai wisdom passed down through generations. The Department of Sericulture's booth conveys the concept of "Royal Grace flowing to sustain Thai silk for all; Divine compassion to preserve Thai silk sustainably," illustrating how royal benevolence has nurtured the livelihoods of farmers, weavers, and silk knowledge keepers continuously, linking past to present and future.

The Department promotes Thai silk and sericulture products through a live exhibition structured around the concept of "water flow"—from upstream to downstream—connecting the royal vision to every stage of silk production: silkworm rearing, silk reeling, weaving, and product development for contemporary use and economic value.

The "upstream" section presents knowledge about silkworm rearing and the insect's life cycle, the foundation of quality silk fiber, reflecting wisdom rooted in attentiveness, precision, and continuous knowledge transmission. The "midstream" section showcases silk reeling, fiber processing, and weaving—the critical transformation of silk thread into valued cloth, highlighting the skill, finesse, and distinctive character of Thai weavers in each region.

The "downstream" section presents the development of silk and sericulture products into creative goods advanced through design, marketing, and everyday use, enabling Thai silk to reach wider consumers and progress sustainably through conservation and development together.

A special workshop on August 12, 2569 (Mother's Day) invites visitors to craft jasmine flowers from silk cocoons, transforming sericulture materials into valued creations while honoring the meaning of jasmine as a symbol of love and gratitude, and passing Thai silk heritage to future generations.

The Oil Fund Committee (OFC) announced its August 11, 2569 meeting decision to increase prices across all fuel types by 0.85 baht per liter. The increase reflects ongoing volatility and upward movement in global crude oil markets. New retail prices are now: gasoline 45.83 baht per liter, Gasohol 95 at 36.84 baht per liter, E20 at 31.84 baht per liter, E85 at 27.78 baht per liter, Gasohol 91 at 36.47 baht per liter, Diesel B7 at 37.54 baht per liter, and Diesel B20 at 32.54 baht per liter. Prices shown exclude Bangkok municipal tax.

Wichanya Prathumtaa demonstrated commanding performance by converting all six lift attempts to capture two gold medals and one bronze at the Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The Thai team had previously won six golds, two silvers, and one bronze. On August 11, Wichanya Prathumtaa, competing in the boys' 70-kilogram youth division in group A, delivered strong results in the snatch, successfully lifting 109, 115, and 119 kilograms in sequence and converting all attempts, with a final record of 119 kilograms earning bronze. In the clean and jerk, the Thai lifter performed excellently, calling 147, 151, and 154 kilograms and converting all lifts, with a final record of 154 kilograms claiming gold. His total weight record of 273 kilograms also earned gold, completing all six attempts with two golds and one bronze. Kazakhstan's Torekan Assankan earned three silvers with snatch 119 kilograms (setting a record before Wichanya), clean and jerk 150 kilograms, and total 269 kilograms. Iran's Reza Samani Bakhtiarvand won one gold in snatch at 122 kilograms and two bronzes in clean and jerk at 146 kilograms with total 268 kilograms. Thai team coaches continued light morning warm-ups and scheduled training sessions to maintain athlete fitness, with rested recovery for those who just competed. Team physician Dr. Chutimapond Sunthoratham conducted health checks post-competition, finding mostly normal muscle fatigue, with physical therapist Pattravani Kamalari overseeing continued care. Thailand's overall medal count stands at eight golds, two silvers, and two bronzes.

The National Astronomical Research Institute's Deputy Director Supharak Kruhanam announced that the Perseid Meteor Shower (Perseids Meteor Shower), locally called the "Mother's Day Meteor Shower," will occur from the night of August 12 through the morning of August 13. The radiant point is located in the Perseus constellation, rising from the northeast horizon around 11 p.m. on August 12 and remaining visible continuously until dawn on August 13, with an expected peak rate of approximately 100 meteors per hour.

The viewing conditions this year are exceptionally favorable as there will be no moonlight to interfere with observations. The institute recommends viewing from areas away from city lights or light pollution. The best method for observing the meteor shower is to lie down and watch with the naked eye, following the direction of the meteor distribution. If weather conditions are clear and dry, the beauty of the Perseid Meteor Shower can be enjoyed throughout Thailand.

However, Thailand is currently in the rainy season with heavy rainfall in many areas. Those who miss this meteor shower can look forward to other meteor showers in future months, as these are annual phenomena that occur regularly every year.

Phuket – Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suchart Chomklin, representing the government, has expressed condolences to the family of a 30-year-old German national who was found deceased after going missing in the waters off Freedom Beach in Phuket. Our previous story: Thai authorities are searching for Jannik Jürgen Knobel, a 30-year-old German national, who went […]