Undercover Thai police expose black dollar scam operated by 4 foreignersLegacyPolice arrested four foreign nationals in Bangkok after uncovering a black money scam that targeted wealthy investors by claiming ordinary paper could be turned into genuine US dollar banknotes using special chemicals. Officers from the Metropolitan Police Bureau were conducting a crackdown on foreign drug dealing networks in Soi Nana when the investigation led them to a group suspected of operating the black dollar scam. According to police, investigators learned that the group targeted affluent people attending luxury events. Undercover officers therefore posed as wealthy investors and attended a high-end automotive exhibition where the suspects were reportedly seeking potential victims. Photo via Facebook/ THAI PRESS Police said the suspects approached the undercover officers and claimed they had earned money from illegal businesses overseas. They alleged that about US$6 million (approximately 200 million baht) in cash had been seized by customs officials. The group told the undercover officers that the banknotes had been coated with chemicals and could be restored to normal. They claimed they needed 150,000 baht to pay customs officials to recover the cash and asked the undercover officers to provide the money in advance. According to police, the suspects promised the undercover officers 40% of the recovered funds in return for the payment. They later arranged another meeting to demonstrate the process they claimed could restore the banknotes. Photo via Facebook/ THAI PRESS During the meeting, the suspects produced white sheets of paper cut to the size of US dollar bills before washing them with a chemical solution, causing them to appear as genuine banknotes. Police said the demonstration confirmed the fraud, prompting undercover officers to identify themselves and arrest the suspects. Searches were later carried out at accommodation in the Lasalle and Hua Mak areas of Bangkok. Officers seized about 60,000 blank paper sheets, counterfeit US dollar banknotes and chemical substances believed to have been used in the operation. Photo via Facebook/ THAI PRESS According to investigators, the group used iodine tincture to conceal genuine US dollar banknotes, making them appear blank. They then washed the notes with a solution containing vitamin C dissolved in water to restore their appearance, falsely claiming the process required a special chemical. The four accused were identified by police as 35 year old Liberian national Remy, 40 year old Liberian national David, a 35 year old Cameroonian woman and a 21 year old Cameroonian woman. Police said Remy denied the allegations, claiming he could not remember committing any offence. David allegedly admitted the group intended to defraud the undercover officers. The statements of the two Cameroonian women were not disclosed. The story Undercover Thai police expose black dollar scam operated by 4 foreigners as seen on Thaiger News.

The Thai Sports Authority conducted physical fitness assessments for Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana, a member of Thailand's national equestrian team in dressage, to prepare for the 20th Asian Games. On August 2, 2025, the princess underwent standardized fitness testing at Leicester City's Seagrave Training Centre in the United Kingdom. Sports Authority consultant Samchon Mingkhamlert and Director of Sports Science Porncholit Juraraksa conducted the assessments in coordination with medical staff and sports scientists from Leicester City FC to evaluate her physical readiness according to Thai sports standards. The evaluation is part of her preparation protocol for competing at the 20th Asian Games. The results of Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana's fitness assessment achieved an excellent rating with a score of 4.33 out of 5 points, meeting Thailand's athletic standards.

BANGKOK — Thailand on Monday rejected several points in a report by UN special rapporteur Tom Andrews on the human rights situation in Cambodia, saying the document lacked balance and did not take into account Thailand's perspective.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said the government disagreed with and did not accept several issues mentioned in Andrews' report, particularly those relating to the recent Thailand-Cambodia border clashes, displaced people and Cambodian workers returning from Thailand.

Sihasak stressed that the report was not an official United Nations report, but rather a report prepared by Andrews under a mandate from the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC). The report has not yet gone through the UNHRC review process, where member states can discuss and provide observations.

"As someone who previously served as president of the UN Human Rights Council, I believe the work of special rapporteurs must be based on neutrality, fairness and impartiality," Sihasak said.

"However, we are concerned that many issues in the report refer to Thailand without first consulting the Thai side," he added.

The foreign minister said Thailand was particularly concerned that Cambodia had highlighted only parts of the report that referred to Thailand and used them for political purposes, despite an agreement between the two countries to avoid attacks against each other in international forums following ASEAN discussions.

Thailand also objected to Andrews' statement that around 650,000 Cambodians had been displaced and unable to return home following the border conflict.

Sihasak said the figure was inaccurate, arguing that it appeared to include Cambodian villagers who had lived in areas claimed by Thailand for more than 50 years and should not be classified as internally displaced people.

He said Thailand had also evacuated around 400,000 people during the clashes but had managed the situation and taken care of its citizens.

"What Thailand cannot accept is why the report does not mention Thailand's losses at all — including civilian deaths and attacks on hospitals and schools," Sihasak said.

"The report must present the losses suffered by the Thai side in order to be fair," he added.

Sihasak also rejected claims that Cambodian workers in Thailand had been forced to return home, saying Thailand had not pushed out workers, whether they were legally or illegally employed.

He said Cambodia had requested that its workers return, but many later faced a lack of jobs and became a burden for the Cambodian government.

The minister said Thailand also shared concerns raised in the report about political freedoms, freedom of expression and transnational crime, including scam networks linked to human trafficking in Cambodia.

As a member of the UNHRC, Thailand plans to raise these issues at the council's next session and seek further action, while urging Cambodia to take stronger measures against scam operations, he said.

On August 3 at the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, the Office of the Education Council hosted the 17th ASEAN Qualifications Reference Framework (AQRF) Committee Meeting and related meetings (August 3-5). Deputy Education Minister Akkarun Kanngkittinant chaired the opening ceremony, joined by Education Council Secretary-General Prof. Dr. Prawit Aerawhorn, council vice-secretaries Dr. Niti Nacit and Dr. Supchai Janpum, and numerous senior education officials.

The 17th AQRF Committee Meeting covered three main discussion points: developing curriculum registration standards, competency-based curricula, and micro-credentials; establishing a national credit bank system to support flexible learning pathways and lifelong learning for Thais; and benchmarking the ASEAN Qualifications Framework with regional frameworks, including implementing Criterion 11 to align Thailand's National Qualifications Framework (NQF) and AQRF designations on national credential documents.

The implementation of Criterion 11 aims to standardize AQRF level designations across ASEAN member credentials, enabling reliable qualification comparisons and labor mobility across the region. This approach accommodates diverse national qualification systems while promoting efficient regional workforce movement.

Deputy Minister Akkarun stated that the AQRF meetings have continuously advanced standardized qualifications across ASEAN member states, enabling graduates to work throughout the region. He noted that the government has integrated efforts across the Education, Labor, and Commerce ministries to ensure students graduate with clear employment prospects both domestically and internationally. He emphasized that establishing common ASEAN standards will allow Thailand to send quality workers abroad while receiving skilled workers, positioning Thai graduates for ASEAN and global opportunities.

Residents and farmers from 3-4 villages in Sanean Subdistrict, Muang District, Nan Province are suffering severe hardship due to difficulties transporting agricultural products across Samun Stream, a critical and heavily used route for moving crops year-round, including rambutan, durian, corn, and rubber to outside markets.

On August 3, 2025, Monnchai Leipaiyat, village headman of Moo 10 Baan Laibeya, explained that during heavy rains and monsoon flooding, water levels in Samun Stream rise and completely inundate the area, making all vehicle and pedestrian crossings impossible. During harvest season, farmers resort to packing agricultural products into sacks, binding them with rope, and manually dragging the sacks across the water to the other side—an exhausting and inefficient process.

This method impacts harvest time, causes worker fatigue during transport, and importantly, damages some of the produce. Residents and farmers have endured this hardship for over 50 years.

Currently, many agricultural products serve as the primary income for farmers in the area. They are requesting a strong bridge across Samun Stream to transport agricultural goods, which would significantly improve the quality of life for residents and farmers.

Sanean Subdistrict Administrative Organization (SAO) official Sanseang Chaephaang revealed that while residents and farmers want the bridge, the project requires substantial funding—estimated at 1-2 million baht or more—exceeding the SAO's budget capacity to implement alone. The SAO is requesting support from relevant government agencies to fund construction of a permanent bridge across Samun Stream to establish a stable transportation route.