Nakhon Ratchasima Provincial Public Health Office announced on August 18 that testing of pasteurized school milk from Pak Chong Dairy Cooperative revealed dangerous bacterial contamination. Bacillus cereus levels reached 3,400 CFU/ml, more than 34 times the permitted standard of 100 CFU/ml, prompting authorities to issue an immediate halt to production. Food safety officials have ordered the cooperative to suspend operations temporarily and conduct a full investigation into contamination sources at every production stage, including raw material inspection, manufacturing processes, storage, and transport to schools. The cooperative's UHT milk products passed all safety tests without issue. So far, purchasing authorities have not received reports of any consumer harm from distributed school milk.

Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt has issued an urgent order for three civil servants involved in an illegal identification card scheme to be removed from duty, effective August 18, 2026. The order comes as part of a crackdown operation called "Sweep the Middle of Bangkok" aimed at investigating and apprehending those responsible for issuing pink identity cards (Category 7 numbers) to foreign nationals' children without proper Thai citizenship eligibility.

Police General Adisorn Ngamjitsuuksri, an advisor to the Bangkok governor, announced the joint operation targeting the corruption network. Governor Chadchart has instructed the directors of Din Daeng and Lak Si districts to issue immediate orders for the three officials to step down, with the suspension taking effect from August 18, 2026. Simultaneously, the Bangkok administration has appointed a disciplinary investigation committee for all three officials, with the case proceeding in parallel with criminal prosecution by Din Daeng Police Station.

The administration has also ordered the Din Daeng district office to urgently review all residency transfers and public identity card applications, with special emphasis on records bearing numbers starting with 7. Initial reports indicate 47 rooms across Din Daeng apartments with foreign names listed at 16 or more addresses, including buildings in Pracharasongkhro Soi 1, 5, 6, 7, 11, and Mitmaitri Road, totaling approximately 1,468 individuals. District directors across all 50 districts have been instructed to strictly audit residency data, particularly cases showing unusual clusters of address transfers. The public is encouraged to report suspicious residency registration activity through the Traffy Fondue app, with informant identities kept confidential.

Chiang Mai provincial authorities are preparing to handle flooding, flash floods, and landslides in response to directives from Chiang Mai Governor Ratthapon Naradisorn. Watthana Sakorn, head of the Chiang Mai Provincial Office of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, outlined the readiness plan at a briefing on August 18, detailing seven core measures: continuous 24-hour monitoring of weather and water flow conditions; readiness of personnel and disaster response equipment; water management in reservoirs aligned with conditions; removal of water flow obstacles and canal dredging; strict security of natural tourism sites including waterfalls and caves; preparation of temporary shelter centers; and rapid deployment of rescue teams when incidents occur. Heavy rainfall between August 1-16 affected seven districts—Phrao, Omkoi, Chiang Dao, Mae Taeng, Wieng Haeng, Mae Ai, and Mae Rim—but the situation has now stabilized with no reported injuries or deaths. The province has issued 40 disaster declarations across 13 districts to accelerate assistance to affected residents. Authorities urge the public to monitor weather forecasts closely and report emergencies immediately to the emergency hotline 1784, available 24 hours daily.

A court sentenced the chairman of a savings group to 18 months in prison after he misappropriated deposits from 170 members totaling more than 1.7 million baht and failed to repay them. The court also ordered asset seizure and sale to recover funds for the victims. Villagers expressed frustration about wanting their money back most of all.

On August 18, 2016, at Phitsanulok Provincial Court, 30 villagers from Ban Tha Chang, Thambon Tha Chang, Amphoe Phrom Phiram, Phitsanulok Province, attended the verdict after members of the Tha Chang Savings Group had their deposits misused by the group leader for personal expenses. Complaints had been filed continuously since 2020. The court ordered the defendant to compensate 1.7 million baht to 60 households totaling 170 people. Since the defendant had no funds to pay, the court sentenced him to 18 months imprisonment and ordered asset seizure and sale to repay the victims.

After the three village representatives finished hearing the verdict in court, they met with 30 waiting villagers by the Nan River in Phitsanulok, where residents expressed despair. Though the court ordered imprisonment for 18 months, what villagers wanted most was their stolen deposits returned.

Nai Theerawat Thin Thap, village headman of Moo 2, Tambon Tha Chang, revealed he came with about 30 affected villagers whose deposits were embezzled by the Tha Chang Savings Group chairman. They have struggled throughout this process and sympathize deeply with villagers unable to access their own money.

Nang Nam Fon, 67, one of the victims, stated that despite the court's imprisonment order and asset seizure for compensation, she felt deeply discouraged. As ordinary villagers, they had to follow procedures since 2020 when withdrawals stopped and complaints were filed with the Phrom Phiram District Development Office. After the group chairman admitted to using villagers' money for personal expenses and promised to repay, residents split into two groups—one that did not file charges and another that filed a criminal case. Following police investigation and prosecution, multiple settlement attempts occurred. The most recent mediation on July 16, 2019 showed the defendant still had no money, claiming land had not yet sold.

Today, August 18, 2019, the court scheduled another hearing where the defendant again had no money to repay, so the court ordered 18 months imprisonment and asset seizure for compensation. Some families whose deposits were stolen have already passed away, unable to withdraw funds for their children's education or to arrange funeral expenses for relatives. Though they struggled throughout and felt deeply discouraged, some could not withdraw funds.

Nang Om Fa, 68, stated she deposited a total of 267,000 baht and attempted multiple withdrawals but never succeeded even once. She sought to withdraw funds for her grandson's military officer examination but could not. Most painfully, when her mother died, she needed cash for funeral arrangements but could not withdraw money. When she learned the chairman had spent all the deposits on personal expenses, she joined others in filing a complaint at Phrom Phiram Police Station. Today the court sentenced him to prison and ordered full repayment.

On August 18, 2025, at Jang-In Temple in Muang District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, District Officer Chinkorn Kaenkong, Deputy Officer Kittithad Fujitree, and Tambon Chief Sithiporn Bunyai led nine drug rehabilitation graduates through a formal pledge ceremony in which they vowed to sever ties with drug use. The participants received ritual water blessings, attended by family members providing moral support, before preparing to return to their families and communities.

All nine individuals completed their 55-day recovery program at the Nakhon Ratchasima Social Rehabilitation Center (CI Center) based on the university campus, where they were taught discipline, behavioral change, and structured daily routines including exercise, cleaning duties, meals, sports, and group activities. One 45-year-old participant, known as B, shared his experience: after an initial period of homesickness and discomfort in the first week, he adjusted once a structured routine was established. He reflected that during his 55 days in the center, he learned that drug addiction cannot solve life problems, and that his initial involvement stemmed from family troubles he mistakenly believed drugs could resolve—but instead they deepened his crisis and cost him relationships and family.

B committed to using this opportunity to start afresh and warned others still caught in drug use that substances only destroy health, finances, and families, urging them to open their hearts to treatment because recovery is always possible. Abbot Maha Tho of Jang-In Temple offered blessings and encouragement to the nine graduates, reminding them to hold fast to their pledges with strong resolve and view past mistakes as lessons, while emphasizing that although the past cannot be undone, everyone can choose to do their best in the present. He stressed that ending drug use marks the true beginning of a new life where families can be happy, children can have futures, and the graduates can rebuild careers and futures of their own.

District Officer Chinkorn explained that the CI Center serves as a vital mechanism to support graduates at risk of relapse, having provided care for more than 60 days through collaborative efforts of local administration, tambon chiefs, village elders, government agencies, and community members. The nine participants underwent formal evaluation across six categories and six measures before being deemed ready to return to their families and communities. He clarified that today's pledge and water blessing ceremony, while intended to bolster morale and provide psychological reinforcement, is not a scientific guarantee of sobriety but rather part of the motivational framework to help graduates honor their commitments. Following their departure from the center, graduates will receive ongoing monitoring and support.