Justice Minister Rutthapol Naruebet addressed the release of 85-year-old Lao Ta Saen Lee, a prominent drug trafficking convict who had his life sentence reduced to eight years and was granted a royal pardon on August 14, following public criticism. The case prompted the establishment of two separate responses: the Department of Corrections has been asked to clarify the prisoner assessment process and the procedures for submitting royal pardon recommendations, while the Justice Ministry has formed a working group to review pardon criteria.

The Minister acknowledged finding multiple procedural irregularities during the review. When asked whether the case could be reopened, Rutthapol stated that would not be possible because the matter is considered legally concluded. He emphasized that officials followed the regulations in place at the time, but initial findings suggest the regulations themselves contain deficiencies that require improvement.

Regarding the distinction between regulatory fault and procedural error, Rutthapol said the responsibility lies with the regulations that officials were required to follow. When pressed on why Thai prisoners might receive harsher treatment under the same procedures, he cited age as a contributing factor and requested further investigation. The Minister expressed confidence that staff acted without malicious intent and followed established rules, though he acknowledged opposition parties may raise the matter in parliament. He said the government is prepared with detailed explanations of which regulations applied in each year and how the case was initially reviewed.

Suvarnabhumi Auto Gate to open to 31 more nationalitiesLegacySuvarnabhumi Airport plans to open its Auto Gate lanes to travellers from 31 more nationalities by the end of August. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce Suphajee Suthumpun led a site visit and briefing at the airport. Officials from the Tourism and Sports and Transport ministries took part. The airport handles about 190,000 passengers a day in peak season, and 140,000 to 150,000 a day in low season. International arrivals account for roughly 70,000 passengers a day. Immigration is busiest between 1pm and 5pm, when 5,000 to 6,000 passengers an hour pass through. The Immigration Bureau has approved the expansion in principle and is waiting on final signatures. The list was drawn from entry-refusal figures, a country’s ranking on the Henley Passport Index and security assessments. The change is expected to add about 6.5 million potential Suvarnabhumi Auto Gate users, plus 900,000 long-term visa holders. Officials expect the gates to take 53% of arriving passengers once the system is running fully, leaving 47% at a staffed counter. The gates will open in stages, as each part of the system is ready and as biometric records allow. Travellers who have entered Thailand before and are already on file will be able to use them first. Anyone arriving for the first time still has to have their biometrics taken at the counter before the gates are an option for them. Airport authorities also plan immediate steps to thin the queues. They will make use of all three immigration zones, redirect passengers, open a central hall and put more officers on duty at peak times. Deputy government spokesperson Lalida Periswiwatana warned that some tourists file the Thailand Digital Arrival Card through unofficial websites, in remarks reported by Xinhua. Those sites charge fees or carry a fraud risk, she said, while the official system costs nothing. Suphajee said the relevant agencies would handle immediate problems at Suvarnabhumi. Anything needing legislation or long-term investment will go to government level. Related news Suvarnabhumi Airport opens automated channels to foreign travellers Chinese artist fans disrupt Suvarnabhumi, 22 denied boarding Everything to know about living in Thailand as an expat Source:

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KAMPHAENG PHET — A Thai mother is devastated after learning that her 34-year-old daughter, who had worked as a traditional massage therapist in South Korea for seven years, died under unexplained circumstances.

The family, from Kamphaeng Phet province, said they do not have enough money to bring her body home for a funeral.

Several Facebook pages shared an appeal seeking relatives of a Thai woman who had died suddenly in South Korea. She was later identified as Piyawan, known as Pla, 34, from Kamphaeng Phet.

The case came to public attention after many Facebook pages posted a photo and urged the woman's relatives to urgently contact the Royal Thai Embassy in Seoul.

A local community leader in Trai Trueng subdistrict recognized the woman as a resident of the area and immediately contacted reporters.

Reporters later visited the family home in Trai Trueng subdistrict, Mueang district, Kamphaeng Phet, where they met Pla's 69-year-old mother, Lam Yai, who was grieving heavily.

Lam Yai said her daughter had traveled to South Korea seven years ago to work as a traditional massage therapist. She regularly called home to check on the family and occasionally sent money to support them.

Their last conversation was on 8 August, when Pla told her mother that she was experiencing unusually heavy menstrual bleeding. Her mother advised her to buy painkillers. She said her daughter had no known underlying medical conditions.

The family was shocked by the news and said they would leave South Korean authorities to investigate the exact cause of death.

Tearfully, Lam Yai said she had contacted her daughter's colleagues in South Korea and learned that transporting the body back to Thailand could cost around 200,000 baht, while bringing only her ashes home would cost about 100,000 baht.

The family earns a living through general labor and is struggling financially, leaving them unable to cover the costs. Lam Yai appealed to members of the public for help so her daughter could be brought home for a religious funeral.

Winai Detsri, chief executive of Trai Trueng Subdistrict Administrative Organization, visited the family to offer support and is coordinating with relevant agencies to explore ways to provide assistance.

The major obstacle is the high cost of transporting the body internationally, which is beyond the family's financial means.

People wishing to help cover the cost of bringing Pla home can donate through the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives:

Account No.: 016982971787 Account name: Nang Lam Yai Samridee

The family said the account will be closed once sufficient funds have been raised to cover the necessary expenses.

The Department of Land Transport is accepting applications for assistive equipment grants for people with disabilities injured in road accidents. Applications and supporting documents may be submitted from today until September 30, 2026. Department Director Sarawong Paitoon Phong said the Road Safety Fund has allocated revenue from the auction of auspicious license plates to help accident victims. This marks the 16th consecutive year of the program, which provides prosthetic limbs, standard and electric wheelchairs, beds, oxygen generators, and similar equipment. From 2009 to 2026, the program has assisted 21,800 people with disabilities. Each province holds ceremonies to distribute equipment, with license plate auctioneers participating in this charitable effort to reduce road accident losses and improve quality of life for disabled persons.

For fiscal year 2027, the department is allocating funds from auspicious license plate auctions for assistive equipment. Applicants must be Thai nationals who have not previously received assistance from the Road Safety Fund or other government agencies, or whose last assistance was more than three years ago (two years for prosthetic limbs or arms, unless the new equipment is a different type).

Applicants must not have violated the department's conditions for equipment grants. Applications with supporting documents may be submitted between July 15 and September 30, 2026, during government working hours at the Department of Land Transport Building 2, Floor 5, provincial transport offices nationwide, or online at https://web.dlt.go.th/rssf/.

Required documents include: national identity card or other government-issued identification; disability card (if available); photographs (at least 3x5 inches) showing the disability from at least three different angles, no more than three months old; photographs of current assistive equipment if available; photographs of the living environment (required for electric wheelchair applicants); medical treatment records from OPD cards or government documents; and evidence of insurance claims or compensation from insurance companies or victim compensation funds confirming the disability resulted from road accidents. Applications may be submitted in person or online using the provided QR code. For more information, call the department hotline at 1584 or 0-2271-8888 extensions 2511-2512.

The Cabinet has approved the appointment of Chanthanon Wannakheched, a special advisor to the Prime Minister's Office, as the new Permanent Secretary of the Energy Ministry, effective August 18, 2025. Chanthanon, 55, brings extensive government experience spanning agriculture, economics, and public administration. His notable career positions include serving as Agricultural Advisor at the Thai Embassy in Tokyo from 2010 to 2014, Deputy Secretary-General of the Agricultural Economics Office from 2017 to 2019, Inspector-General of the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry from 2019 to 2020, and Spokesman for the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry from 2020 to 2025. He has also served as a Special Advisor to the Prime Minister's Office and as Chairman of the Bangkok Metropolitan Water Authority.

A passenger van with Bangkok licence plates carrying 14 Laotian nationals, including the driver, overturned and burst into flames on the Kalasin-Mukdahan highway near Ban Khok Lam village in Khon Kaen province at approximately 5:20 a.m. on August 18, 2025. The van had departed Bangkok the previous evening, headed for Mukdahan province for passenger visa renewal and return home. Emergency responders from three rescue units rushed to the scene, evacuating twelve injured passengers to nearby hospitals including Supphadej Prakayuprach Hospital in Kuchinrai, while two passengers died in the blaze.

Survivors recounted that two young passengers seated near the front had warned the driver about excessive speed—approximately 140 km/h—but after briefly slowing, he resumed the same dangerous pace. A passenger who was injured described observing the driver exhibiting clear signs of drowsiness and abnormal behaviour, including nodding off at the wheel and steering with only one hand. Although the van had stopped for rest earlier in the journey, the driver did not take sufficient sleep before the crash occurred.

The passenger stated he was preparing to warn the driver again about speed when the vehicle suddenly veered off the road and overturned. Authorities from Pong Thong Police Station are conducting a detailed investigation into the exact cause of the accident. The names and identities of the deceased and injured remain under verification.