His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen presided over the royal cremation ceremony of Dr. Prasert Prasatthong Prasatthong at Meru Luang in front of the Phlabphla Itsarayakorn pavilion at Wat Thepsirin Woras on August 8, 2026. Princess Sirindhorn also attended the ceremony.

Dr. Prasert Prasatthong was born on March 22, 1933, in Bangkok, the fourth of ten children born to Thong Yu and Boonrod Prasatthong. He completed his primary and lower secondary education at Assumption College Bangrak, upper secondary at Triam Udom Suksa School, and earned his bachelor's degree in medicine from the Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital at Mahidol University. He also received honorary doctorates from several leading educational institutions.

His career began as a resident physician and associate professor in the Department of Surgery at Siriraj Hospital before leaving government service to pursue private business ventures in construction and oil drilling. In the healthcare field, he founded Bangkok Dusit Medical Services Public Company Limited, a major private hospital network in Thailand. He also established Bangkok Airways Public Company Limited and ventured into digital television media.

He held important positions including senator for two terms and member of parliament. He received numerous awards and honors, including the Chaiyanatnai Award for outstanding public health administrator in 2018 from His Majesty the King, a Certificate of Moral Excellence, and the Wheel of Dharma Award for contributions to Buddhism from Princess Sirindhorn. He received the Honorary Physician award from the Medical Council for exemplary management and conduct, the National Distinguished Preventive Medicine award in 2019 from the Thai Association of Preventive Medicine, and the Mahidol Gratitude Award, the highest honor bestowed by Mahidol University to distinguished alumni for their virtue, professional ethics, and outstanding contributions to society and nation.

For his extensive contributions, Dr. Prasert Prasatthong received numerous Thai royal decorations and medals including the Knight Grand Commander of the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant, the Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chakra, the Most Distinguished Order of the Valiant, the Most Auspicious Order of the Crown of Thailand, and the Chakra Medal of the Tenth Reign Class 4. He also received foreign honors from French President Jacques Chirac and Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni.

In his family life, he was married to Wallee Prasatthong and had five children. Dr. Prasert Prasatthong passed away peacefully on April 21, 2026, at the age of 93.

Deputy Prime Minister for Digital Economy and Society Nannapat Bunyathida Samchai, speaking as Pheu Thai Party spokesperson, said on August 8 that the government is prepared for Parliament's ordinary session scheduled for late August. The government expects the session to include consideration of a borrowing bill and anticipates the opposition will file a no-confidence motion, but coalition lawmakers stand ready to present multiple legislative proposals to advance national administration, including laws on digital economy, artificial intelligence, and data center policy.

When asked how the government has prepared for a potential no-confidence vote, Samchai replied that the timing and focus of any opposition motion remains uncertain. She noted that while the opposition is expected to file a motion as usual, the government is not worried because it is confident it can answer all questions. Regarding potential allegations about alleged parliamentary vote-buying, Samchai questioned the relevance to the government and noted that such accusations have consistently been made without any supporting evidence. She stressed that the government is not concerned and remains confident in its ability to respond to any questions while maintaining stable governance.

Pathum Thani is advancing youth development in the province through the 2025 Provincial Swimming Championship, designed to inspire and develop rising young athletes. The Pathum Thani Sports Association and Pathum Thani Swimming Club organized the championship at Thammasat University's Rangsit campus pool, with the goal of promoting and supporting young swimmers and students while encouraging them to use their free time productively through sports and healthy living rather than drug use. The competition is honored by Passakorn Rangsiwattanakul, Secretary to the Minister of Tourism and Sports, who presided over the medal and certificate presentations. The event is divided into six age categories for boys and girls, starting from under 7 years old through 14 years and older, with swimmers from clubs and schools throughout Pathum Thani competing.

Thailand's women's volleyball team fielded a full roster and dominated Indonesia 3-0 in sets at the CVV Cup 2026 leg two, held at Chiang Mai's 700-Year Celebration Stadium on August 8. The victory marks Thailand's second win in the tournament, following their 3-0 defeat of the Philippines in the opening match, while Indonesia had defeated Vietnam 3-2 in their opener.

Coach Kiatphong Ratchakrien led the team with a full-strength lineup including Pornpan Koetpratchai, Taddaow Nuekchaeng, Chatchua Mokkasri, Kaewkalya Kamulthala, Pimpichia Kokram, and Sassiphap Chantvisuth, with Piyanucha Paennoi as the libero. Thailand's impressive performance resulted in convincing set scores of 25-18, 25-17, and 25-12.

In their final match, Thailand will face Vietnam on the following day at 4:30 p.m. in a bid to secure the leg two championship.

CHIANG MAI — A cafe and chicken rice shop in Chiang Mai were badly damaged after a pickup truck crashed into them before dawn, leaving the owner facing an estimated repair bill of nearly 1 million baht.

Warakorn Saengsuphon, 37, known as "Pop", arrived to open Thong Phan Bai Coffee and the nearby Mei Jong Chicken Rice branch No. 2 on Somphot 700 Pi Road in Mae Hia, Mueang Chiang Mai district, on Saturday morning and was shocked to discover that a pickup truck had smashed into both businesses.

The impact severely damaged the shops, including their doors, metal roller shutters, glass, walls and ceilings. Coffee-making equipment and glass display cabinets were also damaged, leaving both businesses unable to open. Warakorn estimated the total damage at nearly 1 million baht.

Police said they received a report at about 1:30 am of a pickup truck crashing into the shops. Officers who arrived at the scene found a grey Ford pickup with extensive front-end damage and a burst tyre. The driver, a 48-year-old man from Mueang Lampang district, sustained minor injuries. Police took him in for questioning to establish the cause of the crash and documented the scene before towing the pickup to Mueang Chiang Mai Police Station.

Warakorn said nobody had been at the shops when the crash occurred. After closing for the day, he had returned home in San Phak Wan subdistrict and only discovered the damage when he returned early the next morning to open the businesses. Both shops will have to remain closed for an extended period while repairs are carried out.

CHONBURI — 8 August 2026. A village chief has urged police to quickly track down a man who allegedly exposed himself in front of a schoolgirl in a residential soi in Chonburi, warning that the behaviour could escalate into a more serious incident.

CCTV footage from a soi in Samet subdistrict, Mueang Chonburi district, shows a man riding a motorcycle into the alley before stopping and allegedly engaging in an indecent act in front of a schoolgirl who was walking past.

The girl appeared shocked by what she saw and immediately ran away from the area. The man then reportedly continued riding around the soi before leaving towards the main road.

At 3pm on 8 August, reporters visited the area around Sukhumvit Ang Sila Soi 9 in Samet subdistrict and met Charan Sunhuat, chief of Village 8, who took them to the reported scene.

Charan said CCTV footage showed the man riding his motorcycle into the soi and stopping before allegedly exposing himself in front of the schoolgirl. After seeing him, the girl became frightened and ran away. The man reportedly remained in the area for a while, riding around the soi before eventually leaving for the main road.

The village chief urged parents, particularly those whose children travel home alone after school, to take extra precautions and avoid allowing children to walk alone through isolated areas. He expressed concern that the man could return and repeat the behaviour or that the situation could escalate into something more serious.

Charan also urged police to examine CCTV footage along nearby routes to identify and locate the man so that he can be questioned and face any appropriate legal action before another incident occurs involving children or other residents.