The Faculty of Fisheries at Kasetsart University has successfully developed Thailand’s first Atlantic salmon farming project using a Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS), marking a major...

Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Supoj Suthammapun said on August 6 that the Thailand Tourism Plus program is still under discussion because available funding is constrained and final budget allocation must be confirmed. She stated the government is in talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas to push the initiative forward, similar to the popular "Half-Price Tourism" scheme, ensuring benefits reach small and medium enterprises nationwide rather than concentrating in one area. Supoj said the framework is largely ready, drawing on lessons from the Thailand Helps Thailand Plus program. When asked if the proposal could be submitted to the Cabinet this month, she replied no, noting that Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phan-charoenwalkul has raised the issue and further review is needed to finalize the program format and budget amount.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is aggressively pursuing the Chinese market throughout 2025 via its offices across China, deploying region-specific strategies to target affluent travelers and distribute tourism income across the country. In eastern China, Shanghai's office is marketing wellness and experiential tourism through the "Healing is the New Luxury" campaign with partners LANN Space and Tuniu.com, showcasing wellness routes in Saraburi and Khao Yai while leveraging influencers and digital media to reach premium travelers. The "Amazing Thailand, The Journey Your Heart Leads" brand is also being promoted across more than 2,500 cinemas in Shanghai and via Nanjing television to over 5 million viewers, highlighting destinations like Rayong and Hua Hin.

Western China's Chengdu office is spearheading sports tourism in partnership with tour operator Zx-tour, organizing marathons and fam trips with content creators to attract runners from Sichuan and Chongqing provinces while supporting future direct flights from western China to Thailand's north. Meanwhile, Beijing's office targeting northern China is focusing on family tourism during summer holidays, organizing events in Changsha and Jilin Province that showcase Thai soft power through Songkran, cuisine, fruit, and cultural performances, drawing over 80,000 participants, while direct flights from Jilin to Thailand have increased 7% year-on-year.

China remains Thailand's top source of foreign tourists, with 3.15 million Chinese visitors arriving between January and August 2025. TAT aims to welcome over 5 million Chinese tourists for the full year, a key driver for revenues across hotels, restaurants, retail, and tourism-related businesses nationwide.

Prime Minister Anuthim Charnvirakul has ordered an investigation into a personal data leak involving images and information shared on social media. Government spokeswoman Rachada Thanadirek announced the directive on August 6, stating that the PM has instructed all relevant agencies to investigate the facts immediately and establish an internal investigation committee to determine the root cause and identify those responsible. The PM stressed that such incidents should not occur and that the government should use this as an opportunity to strengthen data security standards across all government systems.

The Ministry of Digital Economy for Society reported that initial findings have not detected a direct breach of government databases, and access routes have been secured. Digital forensics examination is underway to identify the cause and those involved. The Ministry of Transport has suspended irregular user accounts, ordered password changes across all agencies linked to the Land Transport Department, and referred the case to the Cyber Crime Investigation Command for further investigation.

Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry and Department of Local Administration are investigating data access pathways. The Department of Local Administration confirmed no breach has been detected in the main population registration database. The National Cybersecurity Committee is accelerating an audit and assessment of information systems across approximately 300 government agencies nationwide within 30 days, and is promoting the adoption of multi-factor authentication (MFA) as a standard to strengthen government data security, reduce unauthorized access risks, and prevent similar incidents.

Government spokeswoman Rachada stated that the government is not concealing or denying responsibility before the investigation concludes, and is prepared to implement beneficial recommendations including closing security gaps, reviewing data access permissions, protecting whistleblowers in good faith, and evaluating the effectiveness of cybersecurity budget allocations to ensure genuine protection for the public.

On August 6, 2026, immigration and railway checkpoint officers at Nong Khai jointly arrested 32-year-old Panuvatn from Bangkok, who was wanted under a Bangkok South Criminal Court warrant for computer data tampering and theft from his employer. The suspect arrived by train at Nong Khai station and was identified when submitting his documents for departure; he was then detained and handed over to Thung Mahamaek Police for further investigation.

Investigators determined that Panuvatn worked as a senior credit card approval officer at a major Bangkok bank headquarters. Using his authority to approve temporary credit limits and issue new cards, he altered his own credit card limit from the approved 40,000 baht to 70,000 baht and spent the difference on personal expenses. When the bank's head office discovered the fraud, it filed a complaint and obtained an arrest warrant on July 27, 2026.