Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul arrived at the New Zealand Governor-General's residence in Wellington on August 21, 2026, to participate in a formal reception conducted according to Maori traditions. The warm and friendly atmosphere reflected the long-standing friendship between Thailand and New Zealand, with 2026 marking 70 years of diplomatic relations. Maori elders and warriors welcomed the Prime Minister with the traditional hongi nose greeting before proceeding to formal ceremonies including the wero challenge, where the Prime Minister picked up a carved object to demonstrate peaceful intentions, and the karanga welcome ritual followed by a haka performance.

After the outdoor ceremony, Prime Minister Anutin and his wife joined New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his wife indoors, where the Thai and New Zealand national anthems were played and an honor guard was reviewed. The Prime Minister signed the visitor's book and exchanged gifts with his counterpart.

At 10:30 a.m., the two prime ministers held small-group talks to discuss the future direction of Thailand-New Zealand relations following the elevation to strategic partnership status. Later they conducted a full bilateral meeting at 11:00 a.m. Both leaders then held a joint press conference, with Prime Minister Anutin expressing satisfaction at making an official visit to New Zealand during the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations. He emphasized that the visit opens a new chapter in the long friendship between the two nations, and both leaders signed a joint declaration establishing a strategic partnership, representing an upgrade of bilateral relations to a higher level. The Prime Minister noted that key ministers from both countries participated in the discussions.

Deputy Education Minister Akkranam Kanngkittinant announced on August 21 that the Education Ministry is mobilizing full support for schools impacted by flooding in northern Thailand, particularly Nan Province. Multiple educational institutions have been affected, and he has instructed the Office of the Basic Education Commission to immediately assess safety conditions and prepare recovery plans once water levels drop. The rapid flood surge has caused widespread damage to school buildings, teaching staff, and students across the region. Damage assessments are underway to determine which schools may need to temporarily close. Education Minister Prasert Chanthranwongtong is personally concerned about the situation and has directed all affected provinces to monitor conditions closely. He is preparing to visit the areas soon to encourage education personnel and implement measures to prevent disruptions to students' learning. "The Education Ministry will address all aspects of this crisis, from school infrastructure to educational continuity for affected children," Akkranam said. "Ensuring children do not fall behind in their studies and safeguarding the wellbeing of teachers, staff, and students remains our highest priority."

CHIANG MAI — A worried cat owner has turned to every possible channel to find a beloved gray cat that went missing in Chiang Mai's Fa Ham area, offering a reward of up to 50,000 baht for anyone who helps bring the pet home.

According to a post by a user named Zheng Xin, the owner is searching for Tao Tao, a male domestic Thai cat with gray fur that disappeared without a trace. The owner is offering a 30,000 baht reward for information leading to the cat's discovery, with the amount increasing to 50,000 baht if Tao Tao is found by Sunday, 23 August.

Tao Tao was last seen near house No. 73, Moo 3, Fa Ham Subdistrict, Mueang Chiang Mai District.

The cat can be identified by its blue collar. Tao Tao is described as friendly and accustomed to people, making it possible for members of the public to approach him if spotted.

The owner urged anyone who sees Tao Tao not to chase him, as the frightened cat could run farther away. Instead, people who spot a cat matching the description are asked to take a photo and immediately send the owner the location or coordinates.

Anyone with even a small clue about Tao Tao's whereabouts is asked to contact the owner at +66 61 321 0494 to help bring the cat home safely.

Mae Sot in Tak province was hit by flash floods on the morning of 21 August after heavy rain persisted through the night, causing waterways to overflow and flooding communities across Mae Sot Municipality. The Mae Sot Fresh Market and several low-lying residential areas were inundated with 30 to 50 centimetres of water, prompting emergency announcements and evacuations. District officials mobilized the Volunteer Defense Corps and municipal personnel to assist residents in moving belongings and evacuating vulnerable people to safer ground.

Along the Thailand-Myanmar border, the Moei River swelled more than one metre above its banks, with water levels rising by the hour and flooding areas on both sides, including Myawaddy in Myanmar. The Rim Moei Market in Mae Sot was engulfed by floodwaters as traders raced to salvage goods, while long-tail boats navigated strong currents to transport people and pets away from danger. Authorities warned the situation could worsen in the afternoon and issued Cell Broadcast alerts urging residents in Mae Sot and Mae Ramat districts to immediately move belongings, vehicles, and vulnerable family members to higher ground, with instructions to contact local village chiefs or administrative organisations for evacuation assistance.

Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has dismissed reports that Japanese investors are moving their production bases out of Thailand, saying the government will not abandon long-standing investors and will fully support the country's traditional automotive industry.

Anutin said the government places importance on investors from all countries, particularly Japan, which has used Thailand as a major production base for decades and has become deeply integrated into the country's industrial sector.

The government is prepared to adjust business conditions and remove obstacles to ensure Japanese investors remain confident in Thailand, he said.

"The government's core policy is to remain open and improve various conditions to make business operations more flexible under our good relationship, so that we can achieve sustainable growth and long-term economic cooperation and maintain Japan's strong production base in Thailand," Anutin said.

He said the automotive industry was particularly important because most components, including engines, vehicle bodies, chassis and various systems, are manufactured in Thailand by Japanese brands.

"This is something we cannot abandon, and we must ensure that investors do not abandon Thailand either," he said.

Anutin said Japanese investors had been operating in Thailand for so long that the two countries' automotive production systems had become deeply intertwined.

"We are ready to ease obstacles to reassure them that we have not abandoned them. It cannot be a situation where we give them everything when we need them, but once they are doing well, we later add more conditions," he said.

EV rules to be reviewed

On electric vehicles, Anutin said he had assigned Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas to review measures governing investors from different countries.

The review aims to prevent Japan's automotive industry from being placed at a disadvantage as Japanese companies enter Thailand's EV sector, he said.

The government will consider restructuring relevant measures to ensure fair competition and maintain confidence among automakers from different countries, according to Anutin.

He acknowledged that EV manufacturers initially import many components from overseas, but said new domestic supply chains would eventually emerge.

These are expected to include batteries, computer systems and other components, which production requirements would encourage manufacturers to establish in Thailand, he said.

The government will also focus on maintaining political and economic stability as a key factor in attracting and retaining investment over the long term.

530 billion baht in foreign investment in first half

Anutin pointed to investment figures as evidence that foreign investors remain confident in Thailand.

He said foreign investment in Thailand exceeded 1 trillion baht last year, while actual foreign investment had already reached about 530 billion baht in the first half of the year.

On August 20, Deputy Prime Minister Tawi Sodding, a Thai Nation Party list MP and party leader, joined a public dialogue titled "From Proposal to Law: The Future of Platform Labor in Thailand" at Century Park Hotel in Bangkok. Organized by the platform labor movement, the event brought together representatives from multiple political parties to discuss competing draft bills protecting platform workers, including delegates from the Loyal to Democracy Party, Pheu Thai Party, Thai Peoples Party, and Thai Democratic Party.

Kanok Raiwind Burinnuntham from the Thai Nation Party emphasized that protecting platform workers must extend beyond welfare schemes to include genuine negotiating power. She highlighted current problems: riders lack visibility into how the platform allocates work and have no recourse when accounts are suspended by automated systems, sometimes through AI decisions. She supported the Pheu Thai proposal to require human review before account closure to ensure fairness and transparency.

The Thai Nation Party also proposed adopting lessons from Malaysia and Singapore, focusing on four key protections: fair minimum compensation, basic health and accident insurance, algorithmic transparency, and a dispute review process before account suspension.

Deputy Prime Minister Tawi noted that Thailand has approximately 20.9 million informal workers, including many riders from the three southern border provinces working in Bangkok and other areas. He stressed that labor protection legislation must become government policy to carry political weight, adding that the law must be fair to all stakeholders—state, private sector, and workers—to enable sustainable platform economy growth.