The Government Savings Bank is rolling out emergency financial relief for flood-affected customers in northern Thailand. Bank Director Songpol Chiwapanyarochana said that while floodwaters are receding and recovery is beginning, widespread damage to homes, livelihoods, and businesses continues to strain household finances and incomes. The bank has introduced an automatic 3-month debt moratorium with zero interest—all accrued interest will be forgiven, and skipped principal payments for three installments will be consolidated into the final payment. After the deferment period, borrowers return to their original payment schedule.

The program covers all loan categories (with limited exceptions) for borrowers whose registered address or place of business lies in a disaster zone as declared by the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation. The bank will notify eligible borrowers via SMS or mail; those who wish to decline can contact any Government Savings Bank branch or the GSB Contact Center at 1115 to continue regular payments.

Beyond existing debt relief, the bank is also offering new specialized loans. An emergency relief loan for disaster victims provides up to 20,000 baht without collateral, interest-free for three months, then 0.60% monthly thereafter, repayable over up to 24 months. A livelihood recovery loan offers up to 50,000 baht with 0% interest for three months, then 0.50% monthly, and terms up to 60 months. A small-business rehabilitation loan provides up to 300,000 baht at 0% for three months, then 15% annually, over up to 7 years, for equipment purchases or business improvements. For home repair, a housing recovery loan extends up to 1 million baht at 0% for three months, 2% annually for months 4–24, then variable rates thereafter, plus up to 3,000 baht in appraisal support.

Affected businesses can also apply for the Government Savings Bank SMEs Recharge loan to repair facilities, purchase equipment and machinery, or secure working capital.

Nene, Thailand's representative for America's Got Talent 2026, has arrived in Los Angeles to prepare for the live show on August 25, surrounded by overwhelming support from Thai fans. Upon arrival, Nene and her family received a warm welcome from the Phuket community in Los Angeles, led by Chef Pla Noi, Chef Fern, and Chef Madame Pauline from the renowned Michelin-Guide-rated Luv2eat Thai Bistro in Hollywood. The restaurant hosted a large dinner, provided competition funding, and arranged a special surprise cake celebration for Nene's mother's birthday, which fell on the same day. The event was attended by Tan Pattana and Gina Pricha, leaders of the Thai community in Los Angeles, who gathered to share the meal, celebrate the birthday, and offer close personal encouragement to Nene. On August 25, supporters are urged to cheer on Nene as she gives her best performance and brings Thai pride to the global stage.

On 24 August 2025 at Government House, Paradorn Prissananantakul, minister attached to the Prime Minister's Office, addressed allegations from iLaw that an Ang Thong parliamentary candidate had called him and Ravee Prissananantakul during vote counting, which is prohibited by law. Paradorn reiterated that he, Ravee, and the Bhumjaithai Party had no involvement in obtaining the parliamentary seat won in the 2024 election.

Regarding iLaw's release of phone records showing incoming and outgoing calls as personal data to the public, Paradorn questioned how ordinary citizens could access such private information. He challenged whether the disclosed data was genuine or fabricated, noting that such information is classified private data that even he cannot access without contacting the telecommunications provider.

When asked about the source of the data, Paradorn said the organization releasing it must prove whether the evidence is real, as it is easy to create fake records today using Excel and AI. He rejected the allegations, arguing that after two years it would be impossible for him to accurately recall whether a call occurred, and that those presenting evidence bear the burden of proof.

Paradorn referenced the classic novel "The Verdict" by Nat Kob Jidit, comparing society's tendency to judge based on accusations without knowing the facts. He stated he welcomed scrutiny as a politician but insisted that allegations must be backed by verified evidence, not unconfirmed data.

The Federation of Thai Industries says Thailand's economy is recovering in a K-shaped pattern and is accelerating a Buy Thai campaign while removing production bottlenecks to increase capacity utilization and drive industrial GDP to 1.4 trillion baht. Pimpjai Leeissaranukul, chair of the Federation of Thai Industries, commented on Thailand's second-quarter 2025 economy, which grew 1.9% compared to the same period last year, saying the figures show Thailand's economy is holding up despite geopolitical tensions and energy cost pressures. However, the recovery remains patchy and shows a clear K-shaped character.

July's industrial confidence index (TISI) shows large enterprises at 105.5 while small businesses scored only 75.3. By sector, electrical and electronics industries stood at 109.0, while chemicals fell to just 59.7, making it the only group in continuous decline—evidence of a true two-speed economy affecting both firm sizes and individual sectors. Private consumption in the second quarter expanded 1.9%, slowing from 3.3% in the previous quarter, while the average capacity utilization rate dropped to 57.47%, down 3.2% year-on-year. The July-September TISI averaged 86.1.

Analysts identified three distinct causes of low capacity utilization requiring different remedies: first, sectors facing structural pressures from energy and raw material costs plus excess foreign production capacity—such as chemicals, petrochemicals, steel, and construction materials—compounded by Middle East tensions affecting raw material imports; second, production-constrained sectors like oil refineries, which previously ran near full capacity but must now match sluggish domestic demand as exports are restricted and fuel storage reaches saturation; and third, sectors where new investment capacity is expanding faster than production—including electronics and printed circuit boards—a positive sign of fresh investment gradually coming online.

Exports in the first half have clustered heavily in electronics, while other product groups showed limited overall growth, aligning with limited manufacturing sector recovery. The Federation of Thai Industries proposes two parallel approaches to drive the economy forward. First is stimulating domestic demand through the Buy Thai campaign, targeting finished goods with high employment and large spare capacity—textiles, apparel, footwear, furniture, and household goods currently using only 37–50% of production capacity and therefore ready to ramp up immediately when orders arrive. These labour-intensive sectors align with the bottom of the K, with promotion through distribution channels and campaigns to buy Thai goods, coupled with controls on dumped imports, ensuring money flows back to Thai manufacturers. Second is unlocking production constraints: conditionally opening oil exports beyond domestic demand and reserves while managing retail prices through existing refining mechanisms; accelerating public construction projects and promoting Made in Thailand (MiT) standards to directly revive steel and construction material orders; and securing raw material supply chains and energy price structures for the sector.

On August 29, opposition leaders in the House will hold a final forum on the Senate fraud case at Pullman King Power Hotel in Bangkok, potentially presenting evidence that goes beyond what has already been disclosed. Phandith Nhuamchaimman, a Bangkok representative from the Pheu Thai Party, announced the forum on August 24 at Parliament, noting that it may reveal compelling evidence.

On August 28, a separate seminar will be held by parliamentary committees, independent agencies, prosecutors, state enterprises, and government organizations, with participation from Abhisit Vejjajiva, head of the Democrat Party, and former Deputy Prime Minister Bawornsakdi Uwanno. Phandith criticized the Election Commission for limiting charges to only eight individuals, questioning who made the real decisions and who controlled the money trail. He called the investigation incomplete, suggesting it only identified one visible point of contact while ignoring the broader network involving political operatives, vote-buying coordinators, and money brokers.

Anusorn Kaewvichian, a Nonthaburi representative from Pheu Thai, called for the Election Commission itself—not merely its secretary—to hold a press conference and explain the investigation's progress. He noted that the secretary has been making statements in the commission's stead, creating confusion about who speaks with authority and on what basis decisions are being made.

Thailand's Small and Medium Enterprise Promotion Office is expanding green business initiatives and connecting local entrepreneurs with global markets through the Grand Halal and Thailand Tourism Thailand events, generating an estimated 69 million baht in economic value. Deputy director Panita Shinwatt said the office is pushing forward with a fiscal 2026 program to develop SME potential according to green business guidelines, preparing Thai entrepreneurs for international trade rules that increasingly emphasize environmental standards and sustainability. The program conducted seven nationwide training seminars with 246 participants—exceeding targets—and is now advancing participants to product exhibitions and business negotiations to create real market and income opportunities.

The global business environment is placing greater emphasis on environmental standards, particularly carbon measures and combating exaggerated environmental claims. Adapting to green business is therefore not merely a corporate social responsibility matter but a key strategy for building "green competitive advantage" and improving access to modern customers and supply chains. The office is supporting entrepreneurs through free services including Green SME Index assessments, in-depth consulting, and environmental standard verification (such as CFO, CFP, Green Hotel, and Green Production certifications) to help reduce costs, boost efficiency, and build product and service credibility.

On the marketing side, the office has brought trained entrepreneurs to real market events, covering booth expenses to test markets and create business opportunities. At the Grand Halal Bangkok 2026 event, the office brought seven green manufacturing, agricultural processing, food and beverage businesses to display products and conduct business-to-business negotiations with international halal market partners, attracting strong buyer interest, especially for products featuring low-carbon standards and sustainability. For the domestic market, the office is preparing 15 green service, tourism, hotel and accommodation, restaurant, and wellness businesses to participate in Thailand Tourism Thailand 79 (August 20–23, 2026) at Sirikit Convention Center, offering eco-tourism packages and services to environmentally conscious consumers to boost sales and create direct income.

The two events have already generated approximately 1.5 million baht in sales for participating entrepreneurs. The office is also preparing a Business Matching event on August 26, 2026, at Rama Gardens Hotel in Bangkok to connect SMEs with standard-certifying bodies, financial institutions for access to green finance, and clean energy technology and low-carbon logistics service providers. The entire program is expected to create not less than 69 million baht in economic value while elevating Thai SMEs to adapt to global trade rules and grow sustainably on a green business foundation.