Close friends Chakrit, An, Kleua, and Pele organized the first night of Ray McDonald's water-sprinkling and merit-making ceremony at Wat Yang Royal Temple, emphasizing their lifelong friendship since childhood. The ceremony brought together family, friends from entertainment and beyond, with the group working together to ensure the event reflected Ray's character and preferences. Ray's son Mika demonstrated great strength and did not want to worry anyone—much like his father, the friends noted.

The tight-knit group, bound by a friendship spanning more than three decades, revealed that although Ray has passed, their conversations and connections will continue. They plan to support his mother Sarunya and son Mika, with each friend emphasizing: "We are already one family."

Kleua Kitti said: "Last night was truly a collective effort. We came together at Ray's house—the main purpose was organizing this event, but another part was to support each other emotionally. That was really important."

When asked how they divided responsibilities, Pele explained: "We're not naturally skilled at this, but we tried to contribute ideas and split the work. There's the hospital side and the side receiving guests here."

An Pattira added: "My responsibility is at the temple—greeting the journalists who started arriving from midday, handling all the food, organizing the flower wreaths and arrangements, and receiving guests at the front."

Pele continued: "There's nothing special we prepared for Ray—as I said, this isn't our area of expertise and we did it as quickly as we could. We met until midnight last night. Many people wanted to participate, so we had to coordinate everything smoothly. We had to be careful not to create friction or conflict and to notice every detail so the event would run smoothly. There's nothing surprising about it—it's just that friends came this way, and Ray did too. I think the friend would be happy about that."

Kleua Kitti noted: "What we did was make it look as much like Ray as possible—something that if Ray could see it, he would like."

Pele explained: "Ray loved the color orange. If you notice the flowers, decorations, and photo frames, they're in Ray's color throughout—since school days. If you notice, his talk show was also orange."

An added: "And his radio show was orange too."

Chakrit said: "The party favors came from everyone close to him working together—whether it's food, rescue workers, or the temple. Friends sat down and thought about it together. As Pele mentioned, we've been together for a long time and gradually reviewed whether we missed anything or forgot anything. Honestly, we didn't know. When we arrived today and it was done, the temple actually didn't have a cold room, but when the monks inside found out it was necessary, they prepared everything. Everything was really urgent, so we have to thank every side."

On August 21, Dr. Jetsada Bunyavongviroach, deputy director of Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital, posted medical advice on his Facebook page "Doctor Jet" explaining how to recognize swelling linked to heart, kidney, and liver problems. He noted that while mild swelling can result from eating salty food, standing or sitting too long, or hot weather, recurring or worsening swelling accompanied by rapid weight gain, fatigue, or abnormal urination warrants closer attention to these organs.

Swelling in the ankles and legs, particularly in the evening, may indicate heart failure, especially if accompanied by shortness of breath, difficulty lying flat, or rapid weight gain over days. Early morning facial or eye puffiness combined with leg swelling could suggest kidney problems, particularly if urine is persistently foamy and blood pressure is elevated. Abdominal bloating with leg swelling, especially in those with existing liver disease, may signal advanced liver cirrhosis, characterized by fluid accumulation in the abdomen and progressive swelling despite thinning arms.

Dr. Jetsada emphasized that while fatty liver disease alone does not cause fluid retention, abdominal swelling usually indicates more serious liver conditions requiring investigation. He advised that pitting edema (indentation that remains after pressing the skin) warrants medical evaluation to determine the underlying cause.

On August 21, 2025, Kalyanawat School in Khon Kaen province posted an announcement on its Facebook page declaring a special adjustment to teaching methods. The school announcement stated that it had received information requiring careful investigation and assessment, and in response it was shifting classes to an online format for one day to strengthen safety measures and reassure students, parents, teachers, and staff.

The school instructed students to attend online classes from home on Friday, August 21, 2025, following the normal timetable through platforms designated by the school. Teachers were to remain at the school building during regular hours to conduct online instruction and perform their other assigned duties. The school coordinated with relevant agencies to investigate the information, assess the situation, and implement appropriate security measures. It requested parents to monitor students closely during online learning and asked all stakeholders to rely only on official school communication channels, avoiding sharing or spreading unconfirmed information.

According to reliable sources, the announcement came after a dispute arose among students in a Line group chat on August 20. One student then posted threatening comments suggesting the use of violence before leaving the group. Concerned about potential danger and safety risks to students, the school coordinated with Muang Khon Kaen Police Station, located about 300 meters away, and adjusted the learning schedule while the situation was being investigated.

At 4:20 a.m. on August 21, Pak Kret police were called to a multi-vehicle collision at the Samsen intersection on Tiwanon Road in Ban Mai subdistrict, Pak Kret district, Nonthaburi. Officers arrived with volunteers from the Ruamkatanyu Foundation.

At the scene, police found a heavily damaged Isuzu panel truck with Bangkok plates blocking the center island. Two bronze-gold Toyota pickup trucks with Bangkok plates were also damaged nearby—one fruit-laden truck had collided with the other Toyota truck.

Five people were injured in total. Among them were Mayuri, 55, a passenger in the fruit truck who suffered a lacerated head wound, and Chaowarot, 22, the Isuzu driver, who sustained arm and chest injuries. Three other men—drivers and passengers of the Toyota trucks—were also transported to hospital.

According to Thaanon, 58, driver of the fruit truck, he was traveling from Pathum Thani via Tiwanon Road to sell fruit at Pak Kret Market when he passed through the Samsen intersection with a green light. Suddenly, the Isuzu panel truck from Sri Saman Road ran a red light and barreled into the center of the intersection, causing him to collide hard and subsequently hit a third truck waiting at the red light. He insisted his direction had a clear green signal.

Chaowarot, the Isuzu driver, stated he came from Sri Saman Road heading toward the Nonthaburi Bridge. He said the view was obscured until the moment of impact, but he also saw a green light in his direction and firmly denied falling asleep.

Pak Kret police noted they have preliminarily recorded the scene and taken statements from all three drivers. Thaanon confirmed he had a green light while the Isuzu ran the red light. Police said they will review CCTV footage from the intersection for further investigation.

At 11:06 p.m. on August 20, police from Huay Yai Station received a report of a motorcycle rear-ending an 18-wheel truck on Highway 331 near Khao Hin Sorn in Khao Maikhaew Subdistrict, Bang Lamung District, Chachoengsao Province. Officers and rescue volunteers arrived to find a Mitsubishi truck with a blown tire parked on the roadside. The truck driver, identified as Mr. Karkot (surname withheld), 39, was waiting to give a statement. A Honda Wave 125 motorcycle with red plates was found with heavy front-end damage. The rider, identified as Ms. Ratchanee (surname withheld), 34, a golf caddy, was found dead at the scene. Officers placed warning cones and activated signal lights before moving the body to a hospital.

According to the truck driver's account, his vehicle had a flat tire while parked on the roadside. Another vehicle ahead had refused to start, so they were working on repairs in front of the truck with warning cones and lights set up at the rear. A loud crash suddenly occurred when the motorcycle hit the back of the truck. The victim suffered severe injuries and died shortly after despite rescue efforts.

Approximately 3 kilometers away and around the same time, rescue personnel received another report of a motorcycle hitting the rear of an 18-wheel truck on Highway 331 near Wat Pong Saket in Takian Tia Subdistrict, Bang Lamung District. An Isuzu truck was parked on the roadside; nearby, a Honda Lead motorcycle lay overturned in the middle of the road with severe front damage. The injured rider, a man aged 30–35, suffered critical injuries. Despite CPR attempts, he died shortly after. The truck driver said he was making a U-turn and did not see the motorcycle before it hit the left side of his vehicle, causing both the motorcycle and rider to be violently thrown into the roadway.

Police and investigators documented both scenes as evidence and are reviewing closed-circuit camera footage to determine the true causes of both accidents. The deceased have been transported to hospitals pending family contact for religious funeral arrangements. Local residents reported that accidents are frequent in both areas due to inadequate lighting and have called on authorities to improve street illumination to prevent further incidents.

Thailand's Meteorological Department has issued a weather alert for 38 provinces, warning of continuous heavy rain affecting 70 percent of areas with risks of flash floods and overflow. Bangkok and surrounding areas are also included. As of August 21, 2025, the department forecasts heavy to very heavy rain in the northern and upper northeastern regions, with heavy rain in central and eastern Thailand including Bangkok and its vicinity over the next 24 hours.

A monsoon trough is passing through the northern and upper northeastern regions, combined with strong southwest monsoon winds over the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand. Residents in affected areas are urged to be cautious of heavy to very heavy rainfall and accumulated water, which may cause flash flooding, flash floods, and riverbank overflow, especially in foothill and low-lying areas.

Wave heights in the upper Andaman Sea and upper Gulf of Thailand are expected to reach 2-3 meters, exceeding 3 meters during thunderstorms. The lower Andaman Sea will see waves around 2 meters, over 2 meters during thunderstorms. Fishing boats in both areas are advised to navigate carefully and avoid thunderstorm zones, with small boats in the upper regions advised to stay ashore.

For the 24-hour forecast from 6:00 a.m. today to 6:00 a.m. tomorrow:

Northern Region: Thunderstorms in 80 percent of areas with heavy rain in some areas, particularly in Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lampun, Phayao, Nan, and Phrae provinces. Very heavy rain expected in Lampang, Kamphaeng Phet, Uttaradit, Sukhothai, Tak, Phitsanulok, Phichit, and Phetchabun. Minimum temperature 23-26°C, maximum 27-32°C. Southwest wind 10-20 km/h.

Northeastern Region: Thunderstorms in 80 percent of areas with heavy rain in some areas, particularly in Bueng Kan, Sakon Nakhon, Nakhon Phanom, Chaiyaphum, and Khon Kaen. Very heavy rain expected in Loei, Nong Khai, Nong Bua Lamphu, and Udon Thani. Minimum temperature 22-25°C, maximum 26-30°C. Southwest wind 10-20 km/h.

Central Region: Thunderstorms in 70 percent of areas with heavy rain in some areas, particularly in Nakhon Sawan, Uthai Thani, Kanchanaburi, and Ratchaburi. Minimum temperature 23-25°C, maximum 28-33°C. Southwest wind 10-25 km/h.

Eastern Region: Thunderstorms in 70 percent of areas with heavy rain in some areas, particularly in Nakhon Nayok, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chanthaburi, and Trat. Minimum temperature 23-28°C, maximum 29-33°C. Southwest wind 20-40 km/h. Sea waves 2-3 meters, exceeding 3 meters during thunderstorms.

Southern Region (Eastern Coast): Thunderstorms in 40 percent of areas, mainly in Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, and Chumphon. Minimum temperature 23-26°C, maximum 29-36°C. From Surat Thani northward: Southwest wind 15-35 km/h, waves 1-2 meters nearshore, exceeding 2 meters during thunderstorms. From Nakhon Si Thammarat southward: Southwest wind 15-35 km/h, waves around 1 meter nearshore, 1-2 meters offshore, exceeding 2 meters during thunderstorms.