PATHUM THANI — A luxury hybrid car worth more than 1 million baht caught fire after being left charging overnight at a townhouse in Pathum Thani province. The incident was reported to the disaster prevention and mitigation unit of Khlong Sam Subdistrict Administrative Organisation in Khlong Luang district at a housing estate in Khlong Sam subdistrict.

Dr. Wirasak Hadda, chief executive of the Khlong Sam Subdistrict Administrative Organisation, arrived at the scene with two fire engines. The property was a two-storey townhouse. Firefighters found a white sedan parked in front of the house with flames rapidly spreading inside the passenger compartment. Firefighters immediately sprayed water to prevent the flames from spreading to the house and neighbouring properties. The blaze was brought under control within about one hour. The driver's compartment was severely damaged by the fire.

The 36-year-old owner said he returned home at around 22:00 on Aug. 15 and plugged the car in to charge before going to bed. At around 08:00 the following morning, a security guard rang the doorbell. When he went downstairs, he noticed smoke coming from the car, although it was not yet heavy. He immediately unplugged the charger, grabbed the car keys and opened the vehicle's door. A large amount of smoke then poured out, as seen in footage of the incident.

The owner initially suspected that excessive heat from the hybrid battery may have caused the fire, but said the exact cause remained unknown. It was unclear whether the incident was caused by a deteriorating battery or a system malfunction. The vehicle's dashboard had displayed no warning signs or error messages before the incident.

The owner said the situation could have been much worse if the fire had spread to the house. He credited his quick response and the firefighters' arrival for limiting the damage to the vehicle. The second-hand car was purchased for slightly more than 1 million baht and had been used by him for about two years. Including its previous owner's use, the vehicle was estimated to be about four years old.

The owner said he had already notified his insurer, as the vehicle was covered by comprehensive insurance. The insurance company had contacted him and begun handling the case. As the incident occurred on a Sunday, he had not yet been able to contact the vehicle's service centre to arrange an inspection and determine the cause of the fire and extent of the damage.

He said he was unlikely to feel comfortable driving the car again, even if it was deemed repairable. He would wait for an assessment to determine whether the vehicle could safely be repaired and returned to service. The owner said he had maintained the vehicle normally, taking it to a service centre for annual inspections and regular scheduled maintenance. He also understood that the vehicle was equipped with warning systems that should display an error message if a problem occurred with the hybrid system.

The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) is inviting youth to enjoy interactive workshops at the 69th National Science and Technology Fair running through August 23 at Impact Muang Thong Thani, Building 11. Suphachai Kunsaetthi, EGAT's assistant governor for research, innovation, and business development, officially opened the EGAT exhibition under the theme "Innovate Power Solutions for a Better Life." The event runs from August 15–23, 2025, with Peeranuch Kanhadilok, director of the Natural Science Academy and Museum, attending the ceremony.

EGAT is sharing knowledge about science, technology, and energy innovation with youth and the public through eight exhibition groups featuring diverse research and innovations: clean energy technology including small modular reactors and floating solar hydro systems; the Energy Savings Label Level 5 program; electric vehicles and charging stations; grid modernization; second-life battery ecosystems; LANDMOS, a real-time landslide monitoring system for Mae Mao Mine; EGAT Ash Nova, which converts coal fly ash into alternative construction materials; and EGAT SCADA X, a digital-era power system control and monitoring innovation.

Inside the EGAT booth, nearly 10 interactive activities and workshops allow children and young people to learn about energy and discover EGAT through play. These include energy bingo, EGAT trivia games, and "Mini Popsicle Flashlight," a hands-on activity teaching electrical circuit principles with the chance to win souvenirs from the ENGY Shop. EGAT's energy exhibition serves not merely as a display space but as a learning and inspiration hub, demonstrating how science, technology, and innovation can build a better energy future and spark young people's curiosity to invent and develop innovations further.

The National Sports Development Fund, directed by General Suphmanit Parbpob, visited Chachoengsao and Rayong provinces to monitor training for three Thai sports teams preparing for the Asian Games. General Suphmanit Parbpob, fund director and chair of the project oversight committee, accompanied by General Somkwer Tongnark and General Worchati Fongchol, visited the two provinces to assess readiness and encourage the athletes in beach volleyball, men's division, rowing, and windsurfing ahead of the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan.

The delegation first visited Satahib District in Chachoengsao to monitor the men's beach volleyball team at R1 Life Fitness Center, where they reviewed training plans, fitness development, athlete allowances, and support factors. They then traveled to the Royal Thai Navy Rowing Training Center in Rayong, where the rowing team reported approximately 90 percent readiness and plans to train in China before the Games. The visit concluded at Jomtien Water Service Center in Chachoengsao, where the windsurfing team—consisting of four athletes with two youth and two open division competitors—was preparing, including experienced athlete Siriporn Kaeodungnuam.

General Suphmanit stated that the field visit aimed to assess athlete readiness, hear concerns from sports associations and staff directly regarding training, allowances, welfare, equipment, and health care, and provide targeted support. He thanked athletes and personnel for their dedication and encouraged them to maintain health, prevent injury, and follow their coaches' plans to compete at full capacity in the Asian Games. The fund will continue close monitoring to ensure appropriate and effective support for athletes and sports associations.

A Thai consumer has issued a warning after ordering an iPhone 17 Pro Max for nearly 50,000 Baht through a popular shopping app, only to receive a phone running on Android. The incident was shared by a member of the We Are Consumers Facebook group, who posted photos of the product and described the experience as a case of receiving an item that did not match the advertised product.

According to the post, the customer believed they had ordered an Apple iPhone but discovered after turning on the device that it was running the Android operating system. The customer said the amount paid was nearly 50,000 baht and that they had already submitted a request for a refund and returned the product.

The customer contacted the seller saying "What did you send me?", "I ordered Apple but got Android", and "I'm losing it", but received only automated replies from an AI system saying "Hello, we are glad to serve you." The seller has reportedly not responded to the refund request.

The consumer shared the incident as a warning to others to exercise caution when purchasing expensive electronic devices through online platforms.

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.