Phra Kru Tham Sakan, known as Luang Phu Krap Yanawatto, was the former abbot of Wot Krok Krak temple in Samut Sakan Province and former leader of the Maha Chai community. Originally named Krap Charoen Suk, he was born on January 13, 1893, during the reign of King Rama V at Baan Bang Ping in Samut Sakan Province. He was ordained on March 12, 1913, at Wot Rasdrang temple, taking the monastic name Yanawatto.

Luang Phu Krap studied Buddhist scriptures at Wot Rasdrang and later transferred to Wot Krok Krak, where he was appointed abbot in 1920. He developed the temple and in 1942 was appointed head of Maha Chai District, Zone 2. In 1970, he received the ecclesiastical rank of Phra Kru Tham Sakan from the Thai Crown.

Wot Krok Krak is believed to be an ancient temple, formally established in 1932 and recognized by royal ordination in 1880 during the reign of King Rama II. The temple features a distinctive teak ordination hall with a curved roof resembling Chinese architecture, reflecting the area's historical Chinese settlement. The temple houses a revered Buddha image known as Luang Phu Pu, notably distinguished by wearing dark sunglasses. This practice originated nearly a century ago when residents made offerings of eyeglasses to the Buddha image after an epidemic of eye disease was said to have been cured through their prayers.

Luang Phu Krap passed away peacefully on Saturday, September 7, 1974, at the age of 81, having spent 61 years as a Buddhist monk. He is commemorated through various sacred amulets created in his honor, including the highly popular Sakyamuni Buddha amulet featuring the ox year design, produced in 1962 from white-brown powder material.

At 10 a.m. on August 19, Chommanee Noi Chanthorn, 62, known as Pa Da, gave an interview at Phra Khanong Police Station explaining her visit to demand justice after claiming she and her family were framed with false charges and issued invalid arrest warrants. She stated that the case against her guardian Abbas, his heirs, and associates—31 people total—was fabricated, and that police used incorrect land title deeds (numbers 2397, 2398, 4093) instead of the correct one (2465 for Pier 18D) to arrest her family members. She said she was convicted twice despite the flawed investigation and has endured this situation for 10 years without ever being called for questioning.

Pa Da emphasized she wants clarity and has been waiting 10 years for the truth to be examined. She stated she has evidence and challenged authorities to produce the actual evidence used against her, asking who filed the original complaint against Abbas and his heirs. She confirmed the dispute centers solely on land title deed 2465 at Pier 18D and denied being part of any mob or gang, emphasizing her role as guardian of Abbas's life and property.

When asked about fingerprinting during her arrest, Pa Da claimed she was forcibly fingerprinted on multiple occasions, despite cases being dismissed at the prosecutor and court stages with no formal charges filed. She noted that even when the court convicted her, there was no fingerprinting order. She added that she has petitioned every government ministry, political party, and administration over the years, concluding that three things in the world cannot be hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.

On August 19, 2569, Deputy National Police Commissioner Siam Bunsam, along with other senior officers and drug suppression unit commanders, announced the arrest of four suspects: Watthana, 39 years old; Arisa, 53 years old; Thawee, 48 years old; and Visnu, 35 years old. Police seized 2,036,000 methamphetamine pills, 14 gun parts, 13 magazines, 2 rounds of ammunition, 4 gun barrels, 2 vehicles, 5 mobile phones, 2 land title deeds, 3 bank passbooks, 1 motorcycle, and other assets valued at approximately 63 million baht total.

The operation followed a police directive to prioritize serious drug trafficking offenses including possession for sale, distribution, production, import, and export. After an initial arrest on July 31 of three suspects with 105 grams of crystal methamphetamine in the Ramkhamhaeng area of Bangkok, police expanded their investigation based on informant tips about a Northeast-based drug distribution network supplying Bangkok.

Police arranged an undercover purchase of 200,000 methamphetamine pills. On August 16, the suspects contacted the informant to arrange a money pickup at a shopping mall in Pathumthani and drug collection on Highway 340 between Bangbuathong and Suphan Buri on August 17. Police positioned officers at both locations. When Watthana delivered the drugs in two travel bags at a convenience store in Lumlae, Pathumthani at approximately 7:20 p.m., police arrested all four suspects and recovered 210,000 methamphetamine pills. The investigation continues to expand.

On August 19, 2025, police arrested Khong, an associate of a woman identified as Pa Da, on suspicion of joint land encroachment in the Phra Khanong area. The arrest occurred at a restaurant as Pa Da and her group were about to dine. Plainclothes officers approached Khong, read him an arrest warrant, and transported him to Phra Khanong Police Station for interrogation.

Pa Da followed the officers to the police station and questioned why her associate was arrested without clear explanation of the charges. She emphasized that if the charge involved land encroachment, authorities should specify which property was allegedly encroached upon, and noted this appeared to be a recurring matter.

Khong later called Pa Da from the interrogation room and informed her he had been charged with joint land encroachment in the Phra Khanong area. He stated the case was unrelated to any matter in Khon Kaen province and expressed willingness to be investigated to determine the accuracy of the allegations. Khong also confirmed that police read the arrest warrant before taking him into custody. When asked why officers had not apprehended him when he initially visited the police station, Khong said he was equally puzzled. Officers subsequently transported Khong to the Phra Khanong Criminal Court.

Jindarat Viriyataveekul, director of the Public Debt Management Office, announced that the agency is preparing to issue its second Sustainability-Linked Bond (SLB425A) with a maturity of approximately 15 years and an initial allocation of around 15 billion baht. The bond is scheduled for issuance in mid-September, with the allocation deemed sufficient based on market conditions and investor demand.

The second SLB will be used to offset the 2025 budget deficit and will incorporate key performance indicators (KPIs) aligned with the country's policy objectives, distinguishing it from standard sustainability bonds that must directly support specific projects. Two sustainability metrics have been established, including a new indicator for biodiversity and forest conservation. If targets are met, investors receive the agreed interest rate; if targets are missed, the interest rate increases.

The first KPI aims to reduce the country's net greenhouse gas emissions, covering emissions from all sectors including land use, land-use change, and forestry. The target is to reduce net emissions to 152 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2035, representing a 47 percent reduction compared to 2019 levels. The second KPI seeks to increase protected land and water areas, including conservation zones outside designated protection areas, to at least 30 percent of the nation's total land area by 2030.

The Public Debt Management Office plans to conduct investor roadshows to present information about the SLB425A, its financing framework, and financial structure. Domestic investor events are scheduled for August 31, while international investor roadshows will be held in Hong Kong and Singapore between September 1-4. Investor demand surveys will be conducted on September 10 to determine appropriate interest rates and bond issuance amounts, taking into account market conditions, investment costs, and investor preferences.

The agency plans to continue issuing SLB instruments regularly, with this being the final issuance for fiscal year 2025. In fiscal year 2026, new bond types such as transition bonds are planned. For the 2026 budget, the Public Debt Management Office is preparing a public debt management plan to be submitted to the cabinet, which includes plans for new borrowing, debt restructuring, and issuance of new instruments such as long-term bonds, savings bonds, SLBs, and green bonds.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Higher Education Yossakorn Wongswasdi addressed the ongoing controversy at Prince of Songkla University's Pattani campus during an event at the Surat Thani campus on August 19, 2025. He used the platform to dispel criticism that his ministry intended to interfere with academic freedom, clarifying instead that he only sought to verify procedural compliance regarding activity hour credits.

The dispute arose after the Political Science Faculty invited lawmakers as speakers for an academic seminar, with student participants able to earn activity hours for attendance. This triggered widespread criticism about appropriateness and sparked concerns that the Higher Education Ministry might suppress academic and student freedom of expression.

Yossakorn explained that he became aware of the controversy through news reports and comments, which prompted him to ask the permanent secretary to verify details. He emphasized that the ministry's only concern was whether the activity hour arrangement complied with university regulations, not the content of the lectures. "Freedom of thought cannot be limited," he said, stressing that universities must remain open spaces for learning and exchanging ideas.

He reiterated on stage that there is no problem, no interference, and no restriction of rights. If the university follows proper procedures, it can conduct activities normally, and the Higher Education Ministry stands ready to support all learning initiatives. "The headline was a bit short and knocked me down," Yossakorn remarked, thanking the deputy rector for providing him the platform to clarify the matter that day.