BANGKOK — Immigration police have expanded an investigation into an alleged "ghost father" network accused of falsely registering Chinese children as Thai nationals, with four people facing legal action in connection with two families. The case centres on Thai men allegedly being named as fathers on birth certificates despite DNA evidence indicating that the children's biological fathers were Chinese nationals.

Pol Col Suriya Puangsombat, superintendent of the Immigration Bureau Division 3 Investigation Sub-Division, said the inquiry began after a 39-year-old Chinese woman, surnamed Huang, applied to extend her stay in Thailand on the grounds that she was caring for Thai-national children. Police became suspicious of the relationship between the woman and the Thai man named as the children's father on their birth certificates.

On 14 July, investigators collected DNA samples from the parents and children. Huang allegedly admitted that her two daughters were not the biological children of the 53-year-old Thai man, identified under the pseudonym Pradit, but of a 40-year-old Chinese man, surnamed Yue Long. The children's births were registered at Si Racha district office in Chon Buri province.

Checks found that Pradit was listed as the father of six children: three with his Thai wife, two with Huang, and one with another Chinese woman, surnamed Wang, 42. Police said the information gave them grounds to suspect that foreign children had been falsely registered as Thai nationals.

The people linked to the case were placed on a watchlist. On 24 July, immigration officers at Suvarnabhumi Airport alerted investigators after Wang, her Chinese partner, surnamed Zhu, 42, and their son were preparing to fly to Australia. Police asked the family to attend questioning and provide DNA samples. Wang allegedly admitted that Zhu, not Pradit, was her son's biological father. The child's birth had been registered at Khan Na Yao district office in Bangkok.

Wang is accused of jointly making false statements to officials, causing false information to be entered in official documents, and improperly registering a birth. On 4 August, Huang and Yue Long were summoned to acknowledge similar charges, including using an official document resulting from false information. Pradit attended a second summons on 18 August and allegedly confessed to the allegations. He was released temporarily while investigators gather further evidence for prosecutors.

Police said three Chinese nationals and one Thai national are now facing legal action. Immigration Bureau Division 3 investigators said they would continue examining possible links to others involved in similar alleged misuse of Thailand's civil registration system.

Industry Minister Weerawuth Silparch has directed the Industrial Products Standards Office to fast-track the enforcement of solar panel standards and related equipment ahead of their mandatory implementation this September. The government is backing the push to promote solar energy use among households and businesses to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, lower electricity bills, mitigate climate change impacts, and boost energy security as solar installations surge rapidly.

"I have instructed the standards office to accelerate enforcement of solar panel and related equipment standards with a focus on operational safety, while preparing businesses to apply for compliance licenses before the September 2026 deadline," Weerawuth said.

Standards Office Secretary General Ekniti Romyanon confirmed the office is readying over 2,000 solar equipment manufacturers, importers, and retailers across five product categories—circuit breakers, fuses, electrical wiring, batteries, and inverters—on standard requirements and inspection procedures. The licensing process has been streamlined to be fast, accurate, and non-disruptive to operations.

Facilitating measures include allowing use of factory assessments already registered with the standards office and accepting results from international (IEC) testing standards without retesting solar panels. So far, 260 businesses have applied for licenses, with the office completing factory assessments for over 170 manufacturers and registering about 30 additional facilities.

The standards office now accepts applications through its electronic licensing system around the clock, from document submission through fee payment, testing, and certificate issuance. It will prioritize issuing licenses to businesses with complete documents immediately after standards enforcement begins.

The Thai Meteorological Department issued warning number nine on August 19 regarding extremely heavy rainfall in Thailand's northern and northeastern regions through August 21, 2569, driven by southwest monsoons affecting the upper north and northeast alongside southwestern winds over the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand. Authorities warn of sudden flash floods and flash floods, especially in sloped terrain near waterways and low-lying areas, and advise against traveling through repeatedly flood-prone routes and low-lying zones where water may accumulate rapidly. Wave heights in the upper Andaman Sea and upper Gulf of Thailand are forecast at 2–3 meters, exceeding 3 meters in thunderstorm areas, while the lower Andaman Sea expects waves around 2 meters or higher during storms. Boat operators are urged to exercise caution and avoid thunderstorm zones; small boats in the upper Andaman and upper Gulf should remain ashore. The public is encouraged to plan activities and travel carefully and monitor updates from the Thai Meteorological Department at www.tmd.go.th or by calling 0-2399-4012-13 and 1182. Affected provinces on August 19 include Mae Hong Son, Lampang, Nan, Phrae, Uttaradit, Phitsanulok, and Phetchabun in the north; Loei, Nong Khai, Bueng Kan, Udon Thani, Sakon Nakhon, Nakhon Phanom, Kalasin, and Mukdahan in the northeast; and Trat in the east, with additional provinces expecting heavy rain. On August 20, extremely heavy rain is expected in Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Lampang, Nan, Phrae, Uttaradit, Tak, Phitsanulok, and Phetchabun in the north; Loei, Nong Khai, Bueng Kan, Nong Bua Lamphu, Udon Thani, Sakon Nakhon, and Nakhon Phanom in the northeast; Kanchanaburi in the central region; and Trat in the east.

Thai Military Bank is expanding into the mass affluent market with the launch of "ttb superior," targeting customers aged 30 and above with monthly incomes of 75,000 baht or more. The service aims to help clients progress from their first million baht toward larger financial goals and eventual entry into the premium wealth bracket. Bank chief executive Thakorn Piayaphan said the bank has long developed wealth management for high-end clients but is now extending services to the mass affluent segment, which has significant growth potential.

According to market research, Thailand has nearly 1.5 million deposit accounts ranging from one to five million baht, valued at approximately three trillion baht, reflecting the substantial size of this market. Thai Military Bank currently has about 10 million deposit customers, of which roughly 600,000 fit the mass affluent profile: aged 30 or older, earning at least 75,000 baht monthly, and actively using digital services. However, only about 100,000 have crossed the one-million-baht asset threshold, leaving over 400,000 with untapped wealth-building potential.

Thakorn identified three key gaps in wealth management for this segment: over 75% hold assets primarily as deposits, about 60% keep funds in low-yield assets reflecting an "underinvestment" problem, many lack investment knowledge and information ("underinformed"), and the large customer base makes individualized relationship manager service difficult ("underserved"). The "ttb superior" service addresses these gaps through three pillars: Superior Solutions (savings and investment products including "ttb ME save" offering 1.30% annual interest with potential bonuses up to 1.50%), Superior Digital Wealth Advisory, and Superior Privilege, covering savings, investment, protection planning, and lifestyle benefits.

The Department of Foreign Trade and the Thai Rice Exporters Association are aggressively pursuing the Philippine market to remove trade obstacles and promote quality rice. Export volumes for the first six months of 2025 jumped 110 percent, and the department is confident that full-year exports will exceed 600,000 tonnes.

Arada Fuangtong, Director-General of the Department of Foreign Trade, announced that Deputy Director-General Chanintra Rimcherng led a government and private-sector delegation to Manila on August 3, 2025, to strengthen rice trade cooperation between Thailand and the Philippines. The team held discussions with Food Terminal Incorporated, the Philippine Rice Importers Association, and the Philippine Rice Industry Stakeholders Movement to exchange market data, food security policies, import trends, and explore ways to improve logistics systems and reduce trade barriers.

The delegation also met with the Bureau of Plant Industry to address agricultural import regulations, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, and streamline Thai rice entry into the Philippine market, particularly specialty varieties such as jasmine rice, Pathum Thani fragrant rice, and other premium grades.

The department organized a business networking event at Benjarong Restaurant in Manila, which carries the Thai SELECT certification from the Ministry of Commerce. The event, attended by more than 60 people including the Thai Ambassador to the Philippines, representatives from Philippine importers associations, businesses, media, and social media influencers, showcased the quality of Thai rice and created opportunities to connect Thai exporters with Philippine importers.

This initiative is part of an aggressive rice export drive through public-private cooperation, involving monitoring partner country policies, trade facilitation, importer networking, and promotion of Thai rice strengths to maintain competitiveness amid intense price competition and economic and geopolitical uncertainty.

During the first six months of 2025, Thailand exported 295,939 tonnes of rice to the Philippines, a 110.47 percent increase compared to the same period last year. The breakdown includes white rice at 98.82 percent, Thai jasmine rice at 0.97 percent, sticky rice at 0.18 percent, and Thai fragrant rice at 0.03 percent.

The Philippine market continues to need rice imports to bolster food security, meet domestic consumption, and stabilize prices. While 25-percent-broken white rice remains the consumer favourite, demand for premium and specialty rice is rising, particularly in urban areas, restaurants, and hotels.

The department sees opportunities in soft-grain rice, price-competitive varieties, and new cultivars tailored to Philippine preferences, and is ready to support and facilitate Thai exporters in expanding their market reach. Full-year 2025 rice exports to the Philippines are projected to reach at least 600,000 tonnes.