Surat Thani Immigration Police have expanded an investigation into a French businessman suspected of using Thai nominees to operate businesses on Koh Samui, uncovering an allegedly unlicensed hotel and possible links to a 26.4 million baht cannabis farm investment scam.

The operation, dubbed "Crackdown on Foreign Nominee Networks, Phase 7," was launched in response to a policy by National Police Chief Pol. Gen. Kittirat Phanphet and Pol. Gen. Samran Nualma, deputy national police chief and director of the Center for the Suppression of Transnational Crime and Illegal Immigration.

On 16 August 2026, Pol. Lt. Gen. Phanumas Boonyalak, commissioner of the Immigration Bureau, through Pol. Maj. Gen. Chuthares Yingyongdamrongsakul, commissioner of Immigration Division 6, ordered officers to investigate foreigners suspected of conducting businesses through concealed shareholding arrangements, including using Thai nationals as nominees to hold land through Thai-registered companies.

Pol. Col. Naruet Phutthawiro, superintendent of Surat Thani Immigration, said officers had expanded their investigation into foreign investors operating businesses on Koh Samui after finding suspicious shareholding arrangements involving Thai nationals.

One person under investigation is Stephane Thierry Bastok, 74, a French national, who is also facing legal proceedings over allegations that he persuaded eight fellow French nationals to invest about 3.3 million baht each, totaling more than 26.4 million baht (about €900,000), in a cannabis farm project.

The farm was allegedly never established. Investigators at Bo Phut and Koh Samui police stations have completed their case files and submitted them to prosecutors for consideration.

Based on the information, Surat Thani Immigration examined Bastok's business activities and asset holdings and found links to Ida B Co Ltd and IDA B Domain Co Ltd, which were involved in land ownership and accommodation businesses in Moo 5, Lipanoi subdistrict, Koh Samui district.

Investigators found that Ida B Co Ltd owned about 7 rai, 3 ngan and 80 square wah of land. In 2021, a three-story building was constructed on the property and later operated as an accommodation business under the name "IDA B DOMAIN" by IDA B Domain Co Ltd.

The property had 12 rooms and a restaurant and advertised daily room bookings through online accommodation platforms. The company also operated its own website to attract tourists.

However, officers found no hotel business license issued by the Koh Samui district hotel registrar.

Immigration records filed under Section 38 of the Immigration Act showed that guests generally stayed for short periods, consistent with daily accommodation services. Officers also found an application for a health-hazardous business license describing the operation as a 12-room rental business.

An examination of the companies' shareholding structures and financial statements raised further suspicions.

Luang Pho Adul returned to Wat Pa Adul Yaram temple after an overnight hospital visit, remaining in good spirits and reassuring supporters not to worry. He says he is accustomed to the situation and it has caused no psychological distress, and he has appealed for people not to blame the temple.

On August 16, 2025, community members, devotees, and those aware of the temple's land dispute continued to visit and offer support to Phra Khru Adul Samnit, the temple's abbot, and the monastic community. The abbot was rushed to hospital in the early morning after experiencing weakness that resulted in low blood pressure, attributed to dialysis, insufficient rest, and stress from ongoing events. After hospital treatment, he returned to the temple as normal.

Devotees continued to bring alms, the four requisites, and morning meals to the abbot and monks, while others helped clean the temple grounds, including the preaching hall, monastic quarters, and central areas, to accommodate the steady stream of visitors. Police, military, and local officials maintained strict security around and inside the temple.

Abbot Phra Khru Adul Samnit explained that he went to the hospital because of low oxygen levels. After seeing a doctor and receiving oxygen, his condition improved, and he returned to the temple at 12:30 a.m. The doctor instructed him to return to Sri Nakharin Hospital if symptoms recur.

"My condition is not the fault of devotees or media visitors who have come in large numbers," the abbot said. "It is because today is my dialysis day. I used to have dialysis on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, but I switched to Saturday, which takes about four hours. The body simply undergoes changes as a result. I ask devotees not to worry. The abbot is well and has grown accustomed to this—it has no psychological impact whatsoever."

Regarding donations, the abbot requested that supporters donate directly to the temple's bank account rather than through intermediaries. "The temple has no intermediaries and no donation box," he said. "Please donate only through the bank, as I am concerned that unethical people might exploit such channels. Those who wish to make merit should come and help directly."

The abbot appealed for peace among disputing parties: "Last night, one side may claim the other is already ill or not yet ill. I ask both sides not to blame the abbot and not to come insulting or criticizing the monks. If you want to do something, please help each other instead."

Doi Suthep-Pui National Park is warning tourists visiting Mae Sa Waterfall during the rainy season to be alert to flash flooding, after a sudden flood swept and injured one visitor. On August 15, a sudden flash flood occurred at Mae Sa Waterfall within Doi Suthep-Pui National Park in Mae Rim District, Chiang Mai Province, preventing some tourists from leaving the area quickly and sweeping others into the current. Some tourists became trapped at the waterfall.

Before the incident, park staff stationed at various levels of the waterfall noticed natural warning signs and immediately alerted tourists to exit the water and leave the area. However, the floodwaters were severe and arrived rapidly, preventing some tourists from escaping in time.

Park officials immediately launched a rescue operation and successfully evacuated all tourists to a safe area. Initial health assessments showed that most tourists sustained only minor injuries, such as scrapes. Staff provided first aid in the safe zone, and the tourists were able to return home normally. However, one tourist who was swept away reported pain and dizziness. Officials coordinated with Mae Rim Sub-district Municipality to transport this tourist to a hospital for examination and further treatment.

Doi Suthep-Pui National Park is calling on tourists visiting waterfalls during the rainy season to check weather and rainfall conditions before traveling, assess risks from natural hazards, and strictly follow staff warnings and recommendations for their safety and protection of property.

In case of emergencies within the national park, visitors can contact the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation emergency hotline 1362, available 24 hours a day.

Cambodian hacks fellow national in Pattaya, claims wrong targetLegacyPolice arrested a Cambodian man yesterday, August 15, after a machete attack in Pattaya left a fellow Cambodian worker with serious head and wrist injuries at a workers’ camp. The accused later claimed he targeted the wrong man. Police and Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan rescue workers responded to the camp at about 12.30pm. The large camp houses Cambodian and Myanmar workers. Rescuers found the victim lying on a bed in a third-floor room with multiple wounds to the back of his head and a serious wound to his left wrist. The head injuries were deep enough to expose his skull, and he was barely breathing when rescuers arrived. After receiving first aid, the victim was urgently taken to Jomtien Hospital, where medical staff continued treating him. Photo via The Pattaya News A 59 year old work supervisor said the accused, initially identified as Sa, had been a close friend of the victim, with the pair previously living and working together. The accused was dismissed and told to leave the camp on August 3 following a fight there. According to the supervisor, the accused returned on the day of the attack claiming he wanted to collect his belongings. A person in a neighbouring room later heard an argument and went to investigate, finding the victim seriously injured. A 62 year old security guard said he had earlier seen the accused enter the camp carrying what appeared to be a large cleaver or kitchen knife used for chopping bones. The guard attempted to contact police, but the attack allegedly occurred before officers arrived. Photo via The Pattaya News CCTV footage showed a suspected attacker at about 12.08pm carrying a large cleaver concealed beneath a construction helmet. After the attack, witnesses said the man walked to a grocery shop in front of the camp, bought drinking water, sat near the security booth and later fled on a motorcycle. At 3.30pm, officers arrested the accused at a rented room in Naklua, Bang Lamung district. Police identified him as 30 year old Cambodian national Reaksa Chheut, and seized a cleaver measuring approximately 50 centimetres long. Reaksa was reportedly eating ice cream when police arrived and surrendered without resistance. During questioning, Reaksa admitted carrying out the attack, but claimed he had attacked the wrong person. He allegedly said he had intended to attack the victim’s older brother because he believed the man had cheated him out of 9,000 baht in wages, but the intended target was not in the room. Photo via Siam Chon News Reaksa also referred to his previous fight with the victim during a drinking session, which had resulted in his dismissal and removal from the accommodation. Police said he claimed he became angry and attacked the victim with the cleaver while the man was lying inside the room. After the attack, Reaksa allegedly returned to his accommodation in Naklua and was preparing to travel back to Cambodia before police arrested him. Officers took him to Pattaya City Police Station for further questioning. A urine test returned a positive result for drugs. Police are preparing charges related to causing serious bodily injury and are checking Reaksa’s history and whether his travel into and out of Thailand complied with immigration laws before proceeding with further legal action. The story Cambodian hacks fellow national in Pattaya, claims wrong target as seen on Thaiger News.

Thailand's women's volleyball team is preparing for the 2026 Asian Volleyball Championship in Tianjin, China, running August 21-30. As the defending champions, Thailand is placed in Group B with Kazakhstan, Indonesia, and Australia. This tournament is significant as it serves as a first-round qualifier for the 2028 Olympics and World Championship.

Team captain and setter Porporn Gerd Prachai explained that while Olympic qualification rounds are inherently stressful, her experience with multiple qualifying campaigns has shifted her mindset. "With each Olympic qualifier, there is always some pressure," she said. "But having gone through this many times, my focus this time isn't just on securing an Olympic ticket—it's about reaching the finals and winning the championship. That turns the pressure into a clear goal: we're going for the title."

Key player Pimpicha Gokram, a back-row specialist, emphasized focusing on one match at a time while maintaining full effort. She also noted the importance of newcomer Atchara Kongwitaya in the back-row position, saying the team must adjust their rhythm and playing style to incorporate her as an important supporting player.

Thailand's Group B schedule includes: August 21 at 2:00 p.m. against Australia, August 24 at 3:00 p.m. against Indonesia, and August 25 at 10:00 a.m. against Kazakhstan.

Peeraphan Korthong, board member of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Thailand, has outlined his views on the direction and strategy of Thailand's industrial investment sector. He discussed the concept of trickle-down economics, which has underpinned Thai economic and social development policy since the first national development plan, arguing that benefits flowing to large investors and emerging industries will only reach small business owners and workers if the country enforces mechanisms for tangible value transfer—such as local content requirements, technology transfer, or joint workforce development with local suppliers.

"Without these mechanisms, trickle-down won't happen naturally. Investment money will concentrate among large players and foreign supply chains," Peeraphan said. He identified this as a shared risk for both the electric vehicle and data center industries, which require high capital investment but create relatively few domestic jobs per unit of investment if conditions are not set properly from the start.

Industrial development is not a matter of choosing sides, Peeraphan argued. Successful countries attracting long-term investment do not bet everything on a single trend, but instead focus on capturing as much production value as possible from every industry that enters—whether long-established sectors with 60 years of accumulated expertise or new industries flowing in with global trends.

"The role of an investment-receiving country is not to act as a judge deciding who stays and who goes, but to facilitate, promote, and incentivize all sincere investors to survive and grow together in the same system, equally," he said.

Data from the International Energy Agency shows electric vehicle and plug-in hybrid sales in Southeast Asia surged 62 percent in the March-June period, with Thailand among the region's fastest-growing markets—though this reflects consumer demand, not direct production strength. Meanwhile, China, the world's largest EV manufacturing base, saw domestic sales drop 16 percent after subsidy cuts and has redirected exports instead, with Chinese vehicle exports growing 65 percent in the first half, reaching roughly five million units. Thailand is one of China's major end markets, with Chinese brands already capturing nearly 30 percent of new car sales. The question, Peeraphan noted, is whether Thailand is becoming a production base or merely a market absorbing transshipped goods.

Thailand does have genuine EV manufacturing bases now, but the real question is whether "value added" is sufficient. Peeraphan acknowledged that over the past three to four years, numerous EV manufacturers have established actual production bases in Thailand, not just promises. The Board of Investment has approved more than 198 EV industry investment promotion projects worth over 137 billion baht, spanning vehicle production, batteries, and charging stations.

While this is a positive signal, Peeraphan said the government must answer bigger questions: how much production and employment has actually been created, and how much of that value has reached Thai supply chains, Thai parts manufacturers, and Thai workers? He cited the offset production conditions under the EV 3.0 measures as an example of the kind of enforcement mechanism needed.