On August 12, Phongpichai Chaiyananpiriya, superintendent of Thung Yai Police Station in Nakhon Si Thammarat, addressed circulating reports that a former minister struck a deputy officer at the funeral of a local politician's mother in the Prig subdistrict of Thung Yai district. Phongpichai said he learned of the reports from social media that morning and had received no official complaint of assault from the deputy in question, nor had any member of the public come forward to report witnessing such an incident. After directly questioning the deputy officer, Phongpichai said the officer firmly denied the assault allegations and explained that he has known the former minister for many years and that they are family relatives who respect each other like siblings. As the superintendent and a direct witness to the officer's account, Phongpichai said he must accept the deputy's account, as he himself was not present at the reported incident.

BANGKOK: The government sought to allay concerns yesterday (Aug 12) that proposed gun-control measures would undermine the public’s right to self-defence, stating that no decision has been made to impose a blanket ban on firearms and that public feedback is being considered.

On August 12, 2569, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suchart Chomklin closely monitored the situation of three missing Thong Pha Phum National Park rangers and expressed his concern. The rangers had lost contact while conducting a patrol mission to prevent and suppress illegal logging activities in the Phlok Kee forest area, Thong Pha Phum District, Kanchanaburi Province. Chomklin ordered an immediate and full-scale search and rescue operation, prioritizing the safety of the officers.

Chomklin received a report from Artthapol Jaraenchantara, Director-General of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, who informed him that the three rangers—Somchai Suntad, 44; Pornpawit Chimplee, 31; and Pajoh Sangkhalawikul, 29—had separated from the main patrol unit on August 8 to inspect and patrol the Huay Geringkaela stream area, a zone targeted for preventing illegal sand and gold mining operations. They lost contact after August 9.

The terrain is mountainous and complex, with numerous streams and ravines. Recent heavy rainfall and storm conditions made travel and aerial support difficult. The Conservation Area Office 3 coordinated 45 personnel from Border Patrol Police Unit 135, the Lad Haad Special Task Unit, Sri Sathorn Forces, Khao Lam National Park, and Thong Pha Phum National Park. A command center was established to coordinate and accelerate the search operation.

All three rangers were eventually found safe and have reestablished contact with their unit, bringing relief to their commanding officers and families. Minister Chomklin instructed the agencies to closely monitor the health and safety of the three officers and thanked all personnel involved in the successful search and rescue operation.

A land ownership dispute involving Paa Adulyaram Temple remains unresolved. An heir claims the family retains ownership of the land and is in the process of registering a new title deed. Police are investigating an incident in which multiple individuals placed drainage pipes and cement at the temple's entrance in the Kangsadal community, Khon Kaen municipality, along with notices demanding removal of items within a specified timeframe.

On August 12, a reporter contacted a woman identifying herself as an heir and granddaughter of the original land owner. She confirmed the dispute concerns land ownership under title deed number 61945, approximately 21 rai in area, or about 28 rai when including related land. The family believes the land remains the property of the original owner and is currently seeking to register a new title deed with the Khon Kaen Provincial Land Office. The Land Office has issued a public notice for title registration lasting 30 days, with the deadline set for August 27, 2026. If no objections are filed or legal procedures are not followed, the process will continue through the Land Office's standard procedures.

The heir also questioned the temple's documentation and construction authorization, calling for officials to verify land title documents, construction permits, and the facility's legal status. She stated that according to family records, the temple's name does not appear in the registry of the Sangha Council Region 9, and requested that relevant authorities verify this information.

According to the heir, the original land owner intended to donate the land for temple construction while serving as the community's headman and land administrator. A title deed was transferred on August 17, 1990, but she claims the transfer contained conditions regarding the legal deed that would only take effect once temple construction was completed and met specified requirements, including proper consecration procedures. The original owner died on December 15, 1991, which the heir argues means the conditions for completing the legal transaction were never fulfilled, therefore the land remained the original owner's property and passed to heirs by law. The family said they have monitored the case for over 20 years and have not taken action to show respect for the monks and those connected to the site.

The Mekong River has overflowed its banks and flooded a Thai-Lao border trading market in Nakhon Phanom, with water levels reaching 11.98 metres on 12 August, just 2 centimetres below the critical level.

Hydrological officials recorded the river level at 06:00 on Wednesday, showing a 15-centimetre increase from the previous day. Authorities warned that the level could reach the critical threshold by the afternoon.

The Nakhon Phanom municipal authorities have ordered all four floodgates at key pumping stations to be closed to prevent the Mekong from flowing back into the city.

Runoff from Bueng Kan province and the Lao side of the river has also flooded agricultural areas along the riverbank in Ban Klang subdistrict, Muang district, about 28 kilometres from Nakhon Phanom town.

More than 100 rai of banana, bamboo and aromatic coconut plantations have been inundated, with water reaching about 1 metre deep. A concrete road stretching more than 3 kilometres has also been flooded.

The temporary border trading area and OTOP goods buildings have been particularly affected. Five or six rubbish bins were swept away, while ice boxes, tables and chairs belonging to vendors at the market were left floating in the floodwaters after traders failed to move their belongings in time. Some used ropes to secure their possessions.

Daosawan, 59, said she had three bamboo plantations covering more than 30 rai, with more than 200 clumps of bamboo. The rapidly rising Mekong has flooded two of her plantations to a depth of about 1 metre since 9 August. She normally harvests bamboo shoots for sale to fresh markets in the town, with daily orders of at least 50 kilogrammes.

On Wednesday, a vendor placed an order for 2,000 kilogrammes. Only one plantation, with about 50 bamboo clumps, remains above the floodwaters, leaving her uncertain whether she can fulfil the order. She said she may suffer substantial losses and could have to use a boat to harvest bamboo from the two flooded plantations.

Booncharoen Phrombutr, 67, a kamnan inspector in Ban Klang subdistrict, said rapid runoff from upstream areas combined with heavy rain had caused the Mekong to gradually overflow its banks over the past two to three days. Floodwaters have reached about 1 metre in some areas and as deep as 1.5 metres in others.

Traders from Pak Peng on the Lao side, opposite Ban Nad village in Ban Klang subdistrict, have also struggled to cross the border to sell forest products such as rats, squirrels, mushrooms and insects, as flooding has affected the Lao side as well. Some goods that traders were unable to remove from the temporary border trading buildings have been swept away and are still floating on the water, awaiting collection by boat.

Meanwhile, the Songkhram River in Si Songkhram district overflowed its banks on the afternoon of 11 August. Flooding has particularly affected Tha Bo Songkhram village in Tha Bo Songkhram subdistrict and Pak Un village in Si Songkhram subdistrict.