On August 4, 2025, Deputy Police Commissioner Pol. Gen. Samran Nualma led a multi-agency operation called "Dismantling Fake 10-Year Cards" in Mae Sod District, Tak Province, to bust a corruption network issuing zero-status identity cards (unregistered ID cards) to Myanmar nationals. The operation raided 25 locations and arrested 17 suspects: three government officials, two sponsors or guarantors, and 12 Myanmar nationals using fraudulent identities.

Duputy Commissioner Samran explained that the National Police and the special task force against registry security threats (DOPA N.I.C.E.) under the Department of Local Administration received reports of registry officials in the area colluding with brokers to illegally issue zero-status cards to Myanmar workers. When fingerprints were cross-checked against immigration databases, at least 12 offenders were clearly identified, all already holding Myanmar passports.

The investigation revealed a coordinated network linked to Mae Sod District Registry Office, possibly involving foreign laborers from Mae Sod and other provinces obtaining zero-status ID cards—a scheme known as "labor laundering." Investigators found that government officials involved had issued more than 700 such cards, with fees ranging from 40,000 to 100,000 baht per person.

The National Police clarified that Thailand has lawful channels for foreigners wishing to reside, work, do business, or apply for Thai citizenship, and stressed they will continue investigations and prosecutions to protect the civil registration system and national security. The government seeks transparent and verifiable coexistence, not to bar qualified foreign nationals but to prevent exploitation of registry loopholes or state resources for illegal purposes. Suspicious activity can be reported to local police stations or the 24-hour hotline 1599.

Government spokesperson Rachada Thanadirek confirmed that Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Interior Minister will host Myanmar President Senior General Min Aung Hlaing for an official state visit between August 6–7, 2025, marking his first official visit to Thailand since taking office.

The visit underscores the importance of Thai-Myanmar relations as neighboring countries and presents a critical opportunity to advance bilateral cooperation and partnership on concrete outcomes—particularly on security and quality-of-life issues affecting both nations, as well as ASEAN-framework cooperation.

On August 6, the Prime Minister will formally receive the Myanmar President at Government House with a military honor guard ceremony, followed by restricted and full bilateral talks to discuss ways to promote relations and cooperation across multiple priority areas. Both leaders will then witness the signing of memorandums of understanding (MOUs) between Thai and Myanmar agencies, and the Prime Minister will host an official state dinner in the Myanmar President's honor.

During the visit, both leaders will attend the opening of the Thailand–Myanmar Business Forum 2026, a major platform for promoting economic cooperation and investment between the two nations and strengthening private-sector networks. Spokesperson Rachada emphasized that the official visit reflects both countries' commitment to sustaining relations and cooperation across all dimensions, including ASEAN coordination, for the mutual benefit of their peoples.

BEM Art Training 2025 is returning by popular request, offering free art tutoring for students in grades 10-12 who want to strengthen their skills and build portfolios for applications to university art programs. Organized by Bangkok Expressway and Metro Company (BEM), the program features instruction from Pisanu Wararueksa, a special lecturer at the Faculty of Architecture, Art and Design at King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang. The course covers drawing fundamentals including proportion, form, structure, light and shadow, as well as creative drawing through new visual perspectives and perception processes. Course 1 meets every Saturday from September 5 through November 28, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Art Learning Centre near MRT Khlong Toei Station. Students receive free materials and a certificate upon completion. Interested students in grades 10-12 may submit applications with drawing samples via QR code through August 31, 2025 (limited spots). Selections will be made by instructor Boonkwang Noncharoen and expert judges, with results announced on Facebook. For more information, call 0-2345-2000 ext. 184345 or contact BEM Bangkok Expressway and Metro on Facebook or X.

CHONBURI — Residents of a condominium in Pattaya were evacuated early Monday after a fire tore through a sixth-floor room, causing extensive damage but no injuries.

Police were alerted at about 02:36 to a fire from the sixth floor in Building D at the condominium in Bang Lamung district, Chonburi. Firefighters, disaster-relief teams and rescue volunteers responded as smoke spread through the building.

Thai and foreign residents were evacuated while firefighters worked to prevent the blaze from spreading. The fire was brought under control after about two hours.

The room's owner said she woke after smelling smoke and found flames in the kitchen near an electric stove. She grabbed her phone and fled to seek help from neighbours and condominium staff, but the fire spread quickly.

She said she suspected her cat may have stepped on the stove's power switch, claiming something similar had happened before. However, the cause has not been confirmed.

Forensic officers from Chonburi's Regional Forensic Science Division 2 will inspect the scene to determine how the fire started.

Songkhla: The Faculty of Medicine at Prince of Songkhla University (PSU) has unveiled its PSU CAR-T Cell cancer treatment technology, which has achieved a 90 percent recovery rate in patients. The university is rapidly constructing a manufacturing facility targeting production of over 100 patient treatments annually.

On August 4, 2026, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nalinee Govitwanawong, Vice Dean of Administration at PSU's Faculty of Medicine, revealed progress in treating blood cancer patients. The faculty has introduced an innovative CAR-T Cell therapy to treat lymphoma, leukemia, and autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), with treatment results showing nearly 90 percent of patients achieved full recovery.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chakrawadee Chulamani, Director of the Center of Excellence in Stem Cell Transplantation and Cell Therapy, stated that the faculty has researched and developed the PSU CAR-T Cell treatment innovation to reduce costs from importing foreign products priced at nearly 20 million baht to just 2 million baht per treatment.

"To sustain treatment system development, PSU's Faculty of Medicine has constructed a manufacturing facility for PSU CD19CAR-T Cell production to increase capacity from approximately 30 patients annually to over 100 patients per year, while establishing partnerships with the private sector and international networks to expand treatment and scale up globally," Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chakrawadee said.

Regarding private sector collaboration, the Faculty of Medicine has partnered with Bangkok Phuket Hospital Company Limited to sign a cooperation agreement for developing CAR-T Cell Therapy innovation, combining academic expertise, research capabilities, and medical services.

The collaboration aims to establish systematic, safe, and standardized patient care with advanced innovations including Precision Medicine and Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs), alongside comprehensive care systems encompassing patient selection, suitability assessment, treatment planning, safety monitoring, complication surveillance, and long-term outcome follow-up by multidisciplinary teams.

This partnership focuses on increasing access to advanced treatment for patients in the Andaman region, southern Thailand, and international patients, as part of establishing an international-standard advanced medical center based on safety standards, research excellence, and genuine patient benefit, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chakrawadee stated.