On August 13, 2025, at the Avani Atrium Bangkok hotel, Dr. Panth Aruneekul, Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, opened the second cohort of the Higher Education Quality Promotion Programme for University Council Members and Senior Administrators for the 2025 fiscal year. The event was attended by Jarureena Pu-ranyan, Head of the Strategic Initiatives Division at the ministry office, and various university leaders and government officials.

Dr. Panth Aruneekul stated that the programme serves as a critical mechanism to strengthen the knowledge, understanding, and capabilities of council members and administrators, enabling them to apply governance principles in institutional oversight and management with efficiency, transparency, accountability, and responsibility in line with the Higher Education Act of 2019. The ministry's office has also drafted a ministry regulation on best practices for managing higher education according to governance principles in 2025, establishing a framework for developing quality, transparent, and sustainable management systems.

The training programme functions as a platform for exchanging knowledge, experience, and case studies to be applied in institutional management, while promoting each institution's strengths in technology, innovation, community development, social innovation, and workforce development aligned with industry needs. Dr. Panth Aruneekul emphasized that the ministry prioritizes budget allocation for higher education development alongside enhanced governance and transparency, with council members and administrators serving as key mechanisms to foster environments conducive to change and innovation, enabling Thai universities to create positive impacts on the economy, society, and nation.

According to Jarureena Pu-ranyan, the second cohort programme runs for eight days across four sessions between August and September 2025, with 45 participants including university council chairs, council members, and senior administrators from 31 public higher education institutions, 13 private institutions, and one ministry unit. Participants learn from expert speakers from both public and private sectors and exchange experiences and case studies to apply this knowledge to institutional and organizational management with efficiency, transparency, and responsiveness to changing higher education contexts.

On August 13, 2025, participants attended lectures and discussions on key topics including the ministry's strategy, higher education strategy, and proactive university council strategies focused on achievement; institutional advancement under ministry policies; and global university rankings to develop Thai higher education quality.

On August 13, Democrat party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva commented on accusations that party MP Chaiyachon Detdecho, who oversees southern operations, assaulted a Thung Yai police station deputy during a funeral. Abhisit said the party is conducting a thorough review of the matter and has spoken preliminarily with Chaiyachon, but is requesting time to verify the facts before issuing further statements. Party secretary-general Chaiyut Banwattana said he is unaware of the details and circumstances since he has not yet spoken with Chaiyachon. He stated that with charges already filed, the case must proceed through the legal system, and the party will not interfere or intervene in any way. He added that while the party has internal procedures for reviewing matters that could damage its reputation, the current case has entered the judicial process and must be allowed to follow its course. "The party is not ignoring what has happened, but we must follow party regulations, such as establishing a fact-finding committee," Banwattana said. "However, since this case is now in the legal system, we must allow the process to proceed."

F✦FOREVER delivered an emotional and lavish concert experience for Thai fans in their first world tour stop at Impact Arena Bangkok on August 1–2. The concert marked the group's return to Thailand after more than 20 years, reuniting members Jerry Yan, Vanness Wu, Vic Chou, and Ashin from the Taiwanese rock band Mayday. As a giant screen rose to reveal the four members on a star-shaped stage, deafening cheers erupted from the crowd, overwhelmed by two decades of nostalgia.

Vanness Wu greeted the audience in Thai, saying "hello" and "I love you," while Vic Chou asked for more energy from the fans. Jerry Yan recalled filming memories in Thailand and expressed deep gratitude to his bandmates for making this dream reunion possible. Vic Chou noted that after returning to Thailand after so long, he recognized many familiar faces in the audience and media, praising everyone's enduring youthfulness. Ashin humorously asked about visiting late-night restaurants and expressed his love for Thai pad krapow pork.

All four members performed with full commitment, introducing new songs from their latest album and showcasing their artistic growth. Vanness Wu playfully incorporated Thai pop lyrics, while Vic Chou drew screams during "Make a Wish." Jerry Yan dedicated "Wo Shi Zhen De Zhen De Hen Ai Ni" as thanks to loyal fans who supported him through difficult times. Ashin brought a new track, "Alive," performed in a Thai-inspired arrangement after visiting famous Thai tourist attractions. The concert concluded with "Liu Xing Yu," a nostalgic song that transported fans back to their youth, cementing the event as a once-in-a-lifetime reunion for many.

Many people reuse disposable plastic water bottles to cut costs and reduce waste, but experts warn this habit carries hidden health risks. Pharmacist Chen Shiyou posted on Facebook on August 11 that most plastic water bottles are designed for single use only. When drinking, saliva, food particles, and bacteria from the mouth enter the bottle and lodge in the bottle's threads, which are too narrow to clean thoroughly. In hot and humid conditions, bacteria multiply rapidly, and research has found that bacterial levels at the cap of reused plastic bottles can exceed those on household toilet seats.

Beyond bacterial contamination, most disposable plastic bottles are made from PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) material, which degrades under friction, repeated washing, and high temperatures. This degradation creates microscopic scratches invisible to the naked eye, which not only provide crevices for bacteria to accumulate but also allow the bottle to release small plastic particles and chemicals. Long-term ingestion of these particles may pose health risks.

Chen recommends avoiding the reuse of single-use plastic bottles. If temporary use is necessary, fill only with room-temperature water and discard immediately if scratches, deformation, or unusual odors appear. Even when using reusable water bottles or glasses, thoroughly clean the rim and seals daily to prevent saliva residue and bacterial growth.

BANGKOK — On 13 August 2026, Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul ordered the Department of Provincial Administration to immediately stop awarding shotguns as raffle prizes, following an incident in which five long-barrelled shotguns were offered at a Kamnan and village headmen's celebration on Koh Phangan.

Speaking at Impact Muang Thong Thani at 10:20, Department of Provincial Administration chief Narucha Khosa-siwilais said the government's policy was to control the number of firearms in circulation, including by suspending the issuance of Por 3 firearm-acquisition permits.

He said kamnan and village headmen would no longer receive guns as prizes. Organisers must instead offer rewards of equivalent value, such as cash or commemorative pins.

"The urgent policy at present is that this must be cancelled or suspended first," Narucha said, adding that regulations allow prizes to be replaced with items of comparable value.

The shotguns raffled at Koh Phangan last week still require Por 3 permits before they can be legally obtained, he said. As permits have now been suspended nationwide through a central database system, officials will review the case and the recipients.

Narucha also addressed concerns over the suspension of the welfare firearm scheme for officials, which some police officers say could make their work more difficult. He said welfare firearms were intended for officials carrying out public-order duties, but the scheme must also be suspended under the urgent policy to limit firearms, in order to treat state officials and the public equally.

Officials may carry firearms only while on duty and where they have written authorisation from a supervisor assigning them to public-order duties in their area of responsibility, he said. Police stations and government agencies must issue orders covering officers authorised to carry guns for duty.

Anutin, speaking shortly beforehand at the same venue, said he had instructed the department chief to cancel the policy and replace firearms with other prizes.